Injured Black Kittens Rescued Under Unusual Circumstances, Now Hope for Better Life

Sharing is caring!

Meet our Meow Mail sponsored kittens of the month, Tia and Tamara! 

These sweet girls are 2 of the 4 black kittens rescued under unusual circumstances in the month of October.

The conditions they were found in have us wondering…was this a coincidence? You be the judge.

Rushing to The Rescue

Tia was found on a farm in rural Arkansas when she approached someone whimpering. 

It didn’t take long for Sarah Richardson, critical care cat rescuer for Community Cats of Central Arkansas, to hear the news and jump into action. 

Tia had a broken leg and the skin on her paw was coming off from dragging it.

“You could see through her injury down to the bone. It was on the verge of going septic,” said Sarah. 

Little Tia was scheduled for emergency surgery, but she was so malnourished and underweight that she could hardly move. 

Sarah worried she’d be too weak to handle surgery, much less the medication she needed in the meantime to prevent her leg from going septic. 

“It was clear no one had ever cared for her. She’d spent most of her life hungry, never getting enough food,” said Sarah. 

Long Lost Twins?

Just when Sarah thought she had her hands full with Tia, she received a call about another injured black kitten found roughly 30 minutes from where Tia had been rescued. 

This kitten, later named Tamara, looked identical to Tia; she was the same size, age, and weight.

Coincidentally, Tamara also had a broken leg.

But Tamara’s broken right back leg was bent so severely that it extended from underneath her stomach all the way to the left side of her body. 

To make matters worse, she had 6 botflies embedded deep in skin that would need to be surgically removed. 

“She couldn’t even use the litter box,” said Sarah. “It broke my heart seeing her so helpless and in so much pain.”

Much like Tia, Tamara also malnourished, dehydrated, and had very little muscle mass. 

Both kittens were scheduled for emergency surgery on the same day. 

All Sarah could do in the meantime was try her best to help them gain enough strength to survive the procedure. 

Sweet & Spicy

Thankfully, the surgeries were a success! 

Both Tia and Tamara had their legs amputated and were on the road to recovery. 

“They’re so sweet, especially considering what they’ve been through,” said Sarah. “I could see the relief on their faces.”

The two of them are constantly purring, especially Tamara. 

It only took 3 days after surgery for the two of them to start perking up and exploring. 

They started moving around, playing with toys, and using the litter box all on their own! 

Tamara’s recovery will take longer than Tia’s because of her botfly removal, but she’s handling everything like a champ! 

“A few days after surgery, Tamara crawled on my lap and started purring as if she was saying ‘thank you for saving me’”, Sarah recalled. 

Sarah was so happy to see the semi-feral kitten she rescued turn into a total lap cat. 

“Tamara had spent her entire life on high alert trying to fend for herself,” said Sarah. “She was found in a dangerous area full of coyotes and predators. I’m so grateful she survived.”

Tia, on the other hand, was a little spicy at first.

She calmed down and revealed her sweet side after the surgery.

“Tia is really funny,” said Sarah. “At first, she was very irritable because of all the pain she was in, but now she rolls over for belly rubs.”

She’s grown particularly fond of her fish toy. When she’s done batting it around, she’ll use it as a pillow. 

They could finally enjoy their lives as normal kittens, just as they’d deserved to do all along. 

For the first time, these sweet girls can rest easy knowing they’re safe. 

Helpful Hands & Hopeful Hearts

They’ll never have to worry about being hungry or losing sleep trying to hide from predators. 

Though the worst is over, they’ll still need more follow-up vet appointments to get their staples removed and to be re-examined. 

Once they fully heal and gain weight, they’ll be spayed, vaccinated, and ready to find their forever families. 

“They’ve been leaning on each other for support before and after surgery, but they also do fine when they’re separated,” said Sarah. 

They don’t need to be adopted together, but Sarah thinks they’d thrive if they were adopted by a family with another cat.

A Mystery Unfolds

Tia and Tamara were just 2 of the 4 black cats that were found in critical condition during the month of October. 

Sarah rescued two more black cats named Binx and Maxilla who were found days apart with degloved jaws.

Both Binx and Maxilla required emergency surgery because they couldn’t eat or drink, leaving them hungry and helpless. 

These events have us wondering if it’s a coincidence that all 4 black kittens were found in critical condition in October…

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all,” said Sarah. “Four black kittens all found in rural towns during October…I think there was deliberate abuse and neglect.”

Black cats have always been the targets of animal cruelty due to dangerous myths and superstitions. 

This becomes especially concerning in the rural south where animal cruelty is ignored or excused. 

Community Cats of Central AR is a small 501(c)3 non-profit rescue organization led by two women who rescue cats from rural towns with high animal cruelty rates.

They rely on donations from kind-hearted individuals to continue saving cats & kittens that have suffered from neglect, abuse, or abandonment.

If you’d like to help Sarah with food, medicine, and surgery bills for these black cats please donate to the Black Cat Rescue Fund through our Meow Mail program.

By donating as little as $10, you’ll be mailed a progress picture and personalized letter with heartwarming updates on how your donation changed a black cat’s life.

Please consider making a recurring donation to receive Meow Mail each month for future cats and kittens in critical condition.

Follow Sarah on Instagram to see more of Tia, Tamara, Binx, Maxilla and watch them live happily ever after!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr Whiskers Friends (@mrwhiskersfriends)

Sharing is caring!