Abandoned Feline Finds New Hope At Animal League America
She came to Animal League America’s Port Washington, N.Y. campus as soon as she could with her boyfriend, Andy, to meet Archie. “Andy and I really, really liked Archie. He loved us and wasn’t scared, took treats from us, and kept rubbing up against us,” enthused Yasmine. “I knew that this was the cat I wanted.” She adopted Archie the same day.
Even though her sister, Katrina and Steve, had adopted older and special-needs cats from Animal League America, Yasmine wasn’t necessarily looking to adopt one with special needs but she knew she wanted an adult cat. “I really didn’t expect Archie to be this sweet of a cat,” she exclaimed. “All he does is purr all day.”
Yasmine knows that she will have to monitor Archie for chronic upper respiratory infections due to damage to his sinuses and airways. He might have noisy breathing or congestion from his previous neglected dental issues. When he first was rescued, Archie had multiple infected wounds on his face. One of them was a fistula — opening from the inside of the body to the outside—from his severe dental disease. The veterinarians believe that the abscess in his sinuses was likely due to the fistula also. He also has FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). He is contagious to other felines, but as long as he is examined regularly by a veterinarian, he can lead a normal life in her house.
The couple was surprised by how quickly Archie settled in — he only hid under the bed for two hours! Then he came out and started exploring his new home. He even slept on the bed right away. In some ways, Yasmine feels that she’s “like Archie. I like to be alone at home sometimes and just take naps all day.” Well then, it’s a perfect match!
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, from our Help Me Heal program, Archie has made a remarkable recovery and is fit and ready for his next adventure: finding a loving, responsible home.
Amazingly, his loving personality has remained with him throughout his ordeal. He enjoys being pet and would be happy to sit in a lap. He is quick to give head bumps when he wishes to receive more attention. He’d fit in well with any family, but he can only go home as a single cat or with other cats that are FIV+. If you’d like to meet Archie, and maybe make him part of your happy home email [email protected] or call 516-883-7900.
Archie is making great progress! The wounds on his face, some of which were infected, are now healed. It turned out that Archie did have a nasal polyp in his left nostril that was removed during surgery. The good news is that there is no evidence of any other polyp at this time.
Due to the fact that he had such a severe upper respiratory infection when he arrived at Animal League America, Archie’s sinuses and airways have significant damage. He will always have noisy breathing, congestion or a runny nose and will likely be at a higher risk of developing more upper respiratory infections in the future.
Additionally, Archie is eating on his own and has a hearty appetite. The feisty feline is beating the odds and getting stronger every day. The plan now is to get Archie into a Foster home where he will continue to recuperate and receive socialization, then one day find a loving, responsible home of his own. This amazing transformation is thanks in large part to the continued support of our Help Me Heal Program. Your support makes all the difference.
Warning: Some images may be graphic.
Veterinarians at the Animal Care Centers in New York City were shocked at Archie’s condition when he was brought in from the streets. This 8-year-old cat had two severe wounds on the left side of his face and a pink, fleshy mass on the outside of his left nostril. He was underweight, dehydrated, had severe dental disease and had tested positive for FIV. The deck was stacked against him and his prognosis was poor.
Archie, when he first arrived at Animal Care Centers in New York City.
This is when they reached out to North Shore Animal League America for help because they know how seriously we take our no-kill mission to rescue, nurture, adopt, and educate. We have the ability to nurture and sustain special-needs animals for as long as they require to recover and then find them loving, responsible homes. Archie was transferred to our accredited Pet Health Centers in Port Washington, N.Y. Animal League America does not turn our back on any animal in need and in another situation Archie might have been euthanized.
Once he was stabilized, Dr. Mark Verdino, Animal League America Senior Vice President and Chief of Veterinary Staff, performed a sedated exam to figure out exactly what was going on and how to treat Archie. He was concerned that the mass might be a tumor. It turns out that Archie had “horrific dental issues and an abscess up in the nasal cavity and sinuses. I didn’t see anything that looked like cancer, but I took biopsies to make sure. I am hoping this is a runaway dental abscess,” he said. The same day, Dr. Verdino did multiple tooth extractions and had to repair a fistula—a hole that had opened between the nasal passage and Archie’s left eye.
The bridge of Archie’s nose remains very swollen with some discharge from the infection and the pain is being managed with medication. The good news is that, even though he has very few teeth left, Archie is eating soft food very well and the biopsy reports showed inflammation, but no cancer. “There is the possibility that there still could be a tumor in his nasal passages, however, he is doing much, much better,” says Dr. Verdino. Once there is less congestion, swelling, and discharge, the veterinarians would like to send Archie to a foster home for observation and a quiet place where he can rest and recover.
As a member of our Help Me Heal Program, Archie will receive excellent medical care and the opportunity to recover from his surgeries in the home of one of our compassionate foster families. Without the generous support of our donors, he and other sick and injured animals just like him wouldn’t have the chance to live out their lives with loving adopters who cherish them. Please support this vital program and help give Archie, and other precious animals, a brighter, healthier future.