A few weeks ago I was introduced to a kitten called Salvy, named after the KC Royals' catcher. He was found, along with his brother Moose and his sister Neddie because his cries were so loud that someone heard them and rescued the group.

Moose & Neddie were bigger than Salvy, and more active, but Salvy ate well & cuddled & purred like crazy. We tested them, vaccinated them, wormed them in anticipation of them going to the homes the rescuer had already found for them.

Moose has already gone to his new home & Maddie will go soon. The rescuer, a new client, was worried that Salvy wasn't growing as fast so she decided to keep him. She had fallen under his spell.

When Salvy started spitting up after eating we thought maybe he'd picked up a bug. He seemed fine & his appetite was great, but the vomiting gradually got worse until he couldn't keep anything down and he started to lose ground. He didn't seem to feel bad, and desperately wanted to eat.

I had the owner video what he was doing & when I saw the video I knew what was likely going on, although it's very rare in cats (2 case reports). I sent him to the specialist for confirmation. Salvy has a congenital defect called a vascular ring anomaly. This happens when an extra blood vessel circles the esophagus, pinching it closed. To survive, Salvy would need thoracic surgery. He doesn't even weigh 1.5 pounds. The cost will be something in the neighborhood of $3500.

I talked it over with the owner. He could not survive without the surgery, but he could die during surgery, an expensive gamble. If he survived the surgery, though, he would grow up to be a healthy normal cat. She loved that little cat, but couldn't see putting him though surgery, and she really couldn't justify the cost, so she decided to put him to sleep at the specialty clinic.

I completely understood where she was coming from. She was devastated. That's when she told me how the kittens came to be found. I told her that maybe that's why Salvy had been put on this earth, to save his brother & sister. I admit I cried for little Salvy. It was all I could do to keep it together in talking to her. I try to maintain a professional distance to my patients but that little cat had snuck into my heart.

And then....

She called to tell us that waiting in the exam room to put Salvy to sleep she couldn't do it. She walked out to the front desk & said she'd changed her mind, and wanted to proceed with the surgery. The receptionist went back to tell the doctor and was crying when she returned. "You've made us all so happy". Salvy had stolen their hearts in the few hours they had been around him. I told her she'd made us happy, too. She said "It's only money. I have to give him a chance. If just feels right".

So Salvy is having surgery next Wednesday. It's risky and no one knows if he'll make it. I told her we all needed to pray for Salvy and that's what I'm asking of you if you've stayed to the end of this novel. Thanks for reading. #prayforSalvy

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