If you’ve been following us on social media, you might remember Molly the beautiful calico cat we’ve had in foster care for while. We don’t know a great deal about her origin story, but we do know that she was sadly abandoned in Croydon in the middle of December which I can imagine was an awful experience for her. Luckily she was taken into RSPCA care where we could look after her.
As with all cats that we take on, her vaccinations, microchip, neutering, flea and worm treatment, and relevant blood tests were taken care of so she could be in tip-top condition and ready for rehoming. We chose a special foster home for her where she could build confidence and explore a new environment while we tried to match a perfect adopter for her, and she really thrived for a number of weeks as you can see in the photos!
Very Bad News
Unfortunately we received a message from the fosterer one day who wanted us to have a look at one of her eyes, which had developed a cloudiness. We could see what she meant through photos she had sent, but we wanted to get her to the vet as soon as possible so we could start any necessary treatment quickly. Sadly the vets diagnosed her with having glaucoma affecting both eyes, and so Molly needed to start receiving eyedrops multiple times a day.
The fosterer and Molly tried their hardest to make this arrangement work, but the terror of constantly being restrained to administer the eyedrops and the taste of them as they ran through her tear duct into her mouth was enough to make her withdraw entirely in a foster environment. To everyone’s dismay, we moved Molly to one of our catteries so she could be given the medication more easily and without having to cause stress catching her. Although this was the right decision to get her glaucoma under better control, it made it harder for Molly to thrive.
Next Steps
As glaucoma is not something that is likely to ever go away for Molly, the recommendation for this situation is to have the eyes removed one-by-one so she can feel comfort again.
Most cats are still able to thrive without eyes, as long as they are confident and have the chance to memorise their environment before they lose their last eye. This gives us hope for Molly’s outcome, so we have been working with one of the vet practices we use to come up with a long-term treatment plan. We have booked in the removal of her worst eye, and in the meantime we have moved her from a cattery pen into a more cosy office space so she can feel safer. Despite still needing the eyedrops, she has come out of her shell again in the office.
Now she has had her worst eye removed, she is recovering now with minimal eyedrops and only when she is able to tolerate them. This will hopefully keep her second eye comfortable enough and under control while we find her new home. We have a small window of time to find Molly a new home, as we would like her to get the chance to explore her new environment while she can still see for a while.
Whilst putting together a plan that prioritises Molly’s welfare, we are also looking at large vet fees that have built up from all of her treatment. If anyone would like to help us secure Mollys future, please do visit our JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/rspcacroydon-crystalpalace.
The estimate given to us for the surgery and additional treatment was between £1350-£1650 so we could really use your help if possible! Alternatively, if you’re interested in providing her with a special chance to find her forever home, do get in contact at enquiries@rspcasouthlondon.org.uk
RSPCA South London - For Every Kind Of Creature 