An Arkansas resident became concerned when they discovered a sickly cat wandering around an unusual location.
What started out as a routine rescue and rehabilitation soon turned into a medical mystery.
Keep reading to discover how a mysterious rescue turned into a life saving mission with the help of some local heroes!
A Shocking Discovery
Mia Mae was brought into a local shelter after a concerned resident found her in a wooded area near a lake.
The resident brought her to the shelter where the staff recalled she was “acting a bit on the feral side.”
The shelter then reached out to Sarah Richardson, a cat rescuer and foster of Community Cats of Central Arkansas, for help.
“She was hiding under a pillow at the shelter. She wouldn’t come out and wanted nothing to do with any people or cats,” Sarah recalled.
A Mysterious Condition
Once Mia was in Sarah’s home, Sarah realized something was terribly wrong.
Despite the estimation that Mia was roughly three to five years old, Sarah said that Mia was “very tiny” and “she wouldn’t eat at all.”
On top of being severely malnourished and dehydrated, Mia Mae was was infested with parasites.
“I gave her fluids and treated her for parasites. She was missing patches of fur because of an awful case of flea dermatitis,” said Sarah.
Despite Sarah’s diligent care, she grew more concerned as Mia continued to refuse food.
Mystery Solved
It wasn’t until Sarah took Mia Mae to the vet to get spayed that vets figured out what was wrong.
“We took her to the vet to get her spayed or see if she was already spayed” Sarah explained.
“She wasn’t spayed. When they went in to spay her, they found out she had a condition called pyometra,” said Sarah.
Pyometra is a painful and life-threatening uterine infection that results in death if left untreated.
A Valuable Lesson
Pyometra can easily be prevented by spaying cats.
“The vet said she’s really lucky because she would not have survived with that condition. She’s lucky she lived as long as she did with her internal infection,” Sarah said.
Sarah stressed this is one of the many reasons people should get their pets spayed and neutered.
“Spaying isn’t just about population control. It’s also the best thing you can do for your cat’s health. In many cases, it can save their lives,” Sarah explained.
“A Whole New Mia Mae”
The vets spayed Mia and prescribed antibiotics to treat her infection.
Mia began eating bit by bit until she was devouring up to five cans of food every day!
“It’s funny because she’s very snooty for a rescue cat. She only likes Fancy Feast and tuna! I tried everything and that’s the only thing she’d eat.”
Now that she’s finally able to live pain-free, Mia loves playing with her foster family and snoozing on their laps.
“Once she healed we saw a whole new Mia,” Sarah said. “She’s a total lap cat.”
Mia Mae the Model
Sarah’s three kids help Sarah name her rescue cats.
They gave Mia Mae a lovely name that fits her personality purr-fectly.
“She loves her name too. You say her name and she meows! She’s a big talker,” said Sarah. “She’s just adorable and is doing much better now.”
Sarah realized that Mia Mae wasn’t feral at all.
Her initial skittish, fearful behavior was because she was in excruciating pain.
“Originally the shelter said she was a little bit feral. Well she wasn’t, she was just feeling sick. Now she’s a delight,” said Sarah.
Mia Mae is celebrating her new life as healthy indoor cat with a unique hobby– playing dress up!
Sometimes she’s more interested in playing with the clothes than wearing them.
Mia Mae loves posing for the camera in a tiny sombrero and play with the tassel.
“She loves wearing her little sombrero and especially loves all the attention she gets from wearing it,” Sarah mused.
Happily Ever After
Mia Mae’s beauty radiates through her healthy new appearance.
She’s gained some much needed wait and her long, soft fur has been restored.
Her gentle, high-pitched meows sound like bells.
She’s very talkative and loves to voice her love and appreciation to her foster family.
Soon, Mia Mae will be ready for her forever home.
“I’m certain she belonged to someone before she was rescued because she wouldn’t be as kind and gentle as she is. We posted her as a ‘found cat’ in several Facebook groups, but no one claimed her,” said Sarah.
No one knows how sweet Mia Mae ended up in such horrible circumstances, but Sarah is confident that Mia will find the loving home she’s always deserved.
Until then, Sarah and her family look forward to showering Mia Mae with all the love and attention her heart desires!
Meet Our Hero
Sarah Richardson is one of the few people in Arkansas that rescues adult and elderly cats in critical condition.
Sarah is known for taking in cats that other rescuers would turn down.
She is committed to giving a second chance to cats who truly have no other options.
If it wasn’t for Sarah and her family, many cats like Mia Mae would suffer a tragic fate.
Instead, Sarah’s rescue cats are thriving and living new lives with loving families they can call their own!
Sarah is entirely self funded.
Medical treatment for adult and elderly cats in critical condition is often very costly and requires veterinary assistance.
If you would like make a donation to Sarah toward a rescue cat’s medical care, please click here.
If you would like to donate food and supplies directly to Sarah from her Amazon wishlist, please click here.
All donations help Sarah continue her life saving missions.
Be sure to follow Sarah on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with her latest rescue cats!
Alice Hill Wells
Monday 24th of January 2022
These stories are so interesting . It is something that most all cats have a story before they finally get a good loving family and a place to call home.
Suzanne Roussel
Monday 30th of November 2020
That is such a heart warming story ❤ thank you for saving them.
Mary
Monday 30th of November 2020
Great Story.