Feral Paws: Our Little Zubbe

Mar 12, 2022 | 2022 Articles, Animal Rescue Adventures, Feral Paws Rescue

by Paula Hunsaker

Feral Paws Rescue Group in Fresno shares with us some of their animal rescue adventures every month. Check out KRL’s article about Feral Paws to learn more about them and check out their website.

Zubbe

Our little Zubbe was rescued from CCSPCA, a high-kill shelter. When we pulled Zubbe from the shelter she was dragging her back legs, plus she was very sick with a URI (urinary tract infection). Her poor body was so cold and had become very dehydrated. I honestly was losing hope in considering pulling Zubbe due to her many health issues. Well, I did, and after many visits to our rescue vet and the assurances giving me hope for Zubbe’s well being, I brought her to the rescue.

As sometimes happens in rescue, shortly after I got Zubbe back to Feral Paws Rescue, she began to crash on me. She was so cold and not eating. I had to wrap her up in a heating pad and force feed her with baby food for such a long time. She was so weak and lifeless during this time. She couldn’t get up to use the litter box, so I had to keep her clean and make sure she was going to the bathroom. She was so weak, but she was keeping up the fight to stay alive. I figured if she could, then I could help her through this unfortunate journey. I spent so many nights staying up and caring for her.

We began our many visits to the vet for laser treatment on her back and her legs that she wasn’t able to stand up on, keeping her on heating pads to keep her temp up, and my vet telling me don’t give up on Zubbe! I told my vet it’s going to take a miracle for Zubbe to pull through. My vet told me miracles do happen! My vet was correct: Zubbe now can walk on her back legs and now can play with the other cats! She isn’t perfect, but Zubbe is our miracle girl.

From when we got her to how she has improved during all this time, we just didn’t know if Zubbe would make it. It was so heartbreaking to check on her every hour to make sure she was still with us. The URI was taking a toll on her not being able to eat on her own, and she smelled. Her breathing was so rough during this time with the URI, and all the other medical issues she was going through.

She began to put pressure on her back legs trying to walk. It was so heartbreaking because her poor little legs were so weak. She was so young, just over three months old, with so much life ahead of her. When she would try and walk, she would fall over when she tried to stand up. I wasn’t going to give up on her, especially with her will to fight and stay alive. After a long battle and trying to stand, Zubbe now can stand and walk on her back legs. In x-rays, it looked like she was born with a spinal issue that made her back legs weak, but now Zubbe can walk on her back legs. Although she will never be able to walk normally, she’s doing just fine. After this long time of endless nights and many prayers and oh so many tears, Zubbe is now a forever kitty at our rescue. Like my vet told me, miracles do happen! My vet never let me give up hope for Zubbe to improve, which she still does to this day. She loves to be covered up at night and loves to be on a heating pad.

She now thinks she is a big girl and wants to be like our other cats, but even with her issues in walking, she keeps up with the other forever cats, and they are great with her when they play. It’s like they know she has issues. But, the best thing on this earth is that Zubbe pulled through and is alive. We don’t rescue just the pretty cats, we try to rescue as many cats as we can through your donations. And, we think ALL cats are pretty, even the ones that can walk…yet.

EMAIL: feralpawsrescuegroup@gmail[dot]com

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories from Feral Paws every other month, and we would love to have you join our KRL Pets Facebook group. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Feral Paws.