Magnus is a big handsome tabby fellow with the most lovable face. He came to us in 2014 after being found starving in a field.
When the intubation tube was pulled out, the vet noticed blood and mucus. He was also having a difficult time breathing, so we had him X-rayed. A shadow was found on his esophagus, indicating a foreign body. The vet didn’t know if it could be removed, but he wouldn’t survive if we didn’t try, so we had the surgery done for him.
It turned out to be a part of a chicken bone, probably having lodged there when he was trying to eat anything he could find. They were barely able to pull it out and back he came for recovery.
After a couple of months, he seemed well and happy. A shy, sweet boy, he was always happy to trade belly rubs for purrs. A single mom with another sweet cat seemed just the right family for him.
About a year later, we got the call that she could no longer keep him. He had developed lesions on his back and was diagnosed with a skin allergy. There were some major stresses in the family that had filtered down to him and he was hiding in the closet, afraid to come out even to use the box, plus she couldn’t afford his medication. Back he came to us.
At this point, one of our partner vets, Dr Lee with Compassionate Care, came to visit. She noticed that his nail beds were infected, a symptom of Pemphigus, a more rare autoimmune condition. He was facing more medication to keep him comfortable.
Fortunately for him, along came volunteer Allison. It didn’t take long before they fell in love! Allison knew she would be looking at a lifetime of care, but she was committed to this big, sweet cat.
Last year, we heard from Allison that Magnus was sick again. He was going through some expensive diagnostics, with suspicion of cancer, and she had started a crowdfunding page for him. We boosted that on our Facebook page to see if we could get some help for her.
We didn’t hear back, so expected the worst. It was such a pleasant surprise to hear from Allison that he is happy, fat, and as she says, “living the dream!” He did not have cancer after all, and after some changes in his medication, he is still going strong.
She says, “I’m so blessed to have him in my life. Without you and everyone at Happy Cats, I never would have found him. I could never express my gratitude for all the work you have done for him, for every cat, and for the impact you all have had on me. Magnus is such an important part of my life, and everything you all have taught me has changed me for the better. I’ve even clicker trained him to letting me trim his claws without any stress!”
We’re sure that when Magnus was starving in that field, he never would have dreamed his life could turn out so well. We’re so grateful to Allison for her commitment to making sure this very special boy gets to live out all his nine lives!
