Laura Cassiday from Baltimore, Maryland was out walking her dog when a stray cat approached them. She continued on her walk and returned home with the stray cat following closely behind. When she went inside the cat began to paw and meow at her front door asking for help.
It was a cold rainy day and Laura was running late for work, but she couldn’t leave the cat in the condition she was in. She had never seen the cat around before so she decided to take a closer look. “She was geriatric, just skin and bones, and covered in fleas. Her coat was matted and dirty. Her mouth seemed rotten and painful, and her gait was wobbly and crooked,” Laura told Love Meow.
Laura Cassiday from Baltimore, Maryland was out walking her dog when a stray cat approached them. She continued on her walk and returned home with the stray cat following closely behind. When she went inside the cat began to paw and meow at her front door asking for help.
It was a cold rainy day and Laura was running late for work, but she couldn’t leave the cat in the condition she was in. She had never seen the cat around before so she decided to take a closer look. “She was geriatric, just skin and bones, and covered in fleas. Her coat was matted and dirty. Her mouth seemed rotten and painful, and her gait was wobbly and crooked,” Laura told Love Meow.
The emaciated cat was begging for food and a warm bed. There was no way she could turn this cat away, so she quickly set up a room with a warm bed, can of wet food and a bowl of fresh water. She named the cat Bones, fitting for the state she was in. Bones quickly devoured the food and purred in appreciation.
Laura has experience with senior cats, because she recently adopted Thomas, a 26-year-old senior cat. “I really wasn’t looking to add another cat to my menagerie of misfits, but she insisted and I refused to put her back outside in her condition.”
To help cover the cost of her medical bills and find her a forever home, Laura contacted The Feline Rescue Association. She volunteers with the rescue and knew that Bones would receive the care she needed.
The rescue agreed to cover the expenses and Laura said she would foster Bones until a forever home was found.
After discussing the cat with her neighbors, she found out that the senior feline had been in the area for years. She was taken in by a TNR program, but now it seemed she wanted to live inside. In her condition, Laura did not think she would survive the winter outside.
Bones is estimated at 10-years-old and weighed just 5 pounds when she was found. “We are dealing with a urinary tract infection and the vet suspects hyperthyroidism. She got some fluids today as well as antibiotics and pain meds for her arthritis,” recalls Laura. Bones was on her best behavior at the vet, even falling asleep on the exam table.
She will continue to receive the necessary care and live with Laura until a new family comes along to adopt her. The cat knew just the person to follow home for help. “What am I supposed to do when a cat in that bad of shape literally follows me home? I’m glad she’s off the street and finally getting the care she needs.”
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