Sponsor Ray & Shine's Vet Care

On Thursday, September 18th, we said goodbye to one of our special needs cats, Sunny. While I (Abby, Pet Angel's Director) was sitting on the Rescue's office floor crying after saying my goodbye's to Sunny, the doorbell to the rescue rang. I wiped my tears and answered the door, to an older couple holding a tiny kitten. They explained that their neighbor abandon his trailer and left this kitten behind. They took it to 2 different animal controls before they came here, and both animal controls turned them away. "Will you take it?!" they asked, and plopped him into my hands. 

I know we shouldn't take this kitten. I thought. We don't have a cage with the sesame street kittens getting fixed on the 1st. We just did a giant fundraiser for the Sesame Street Kittens upcoming vet care, for Sunny's end of life care, I don't have the funds for a kitten. But then I looked down at him, and something inside me whispered Sunny is sending you this baby. He knows you need this kitten to heal your heart just as much as this kitten needs your help. So I looked at the couple and said "If you sign the stray surrender paperwork, I'll take him." 

I walked inside, plopped the baby in a empty cage in Isolation, printed off an intake form, and as it printed I called Pet Angel's President, Nancy (who just so happens to also be my mom) and this is how the phone call went: 

Me: "Mom, don't kill me. I just took a kitten. I'll explain everything when you get here." 

Nancy: "Ohhhhhhhkay! Send me a picture."

When I told her later that I feel like Sunny sent him to us, she teared up. And that was that. We decided to name him Ray, because we think Sunny sent him to us as a little Ray of Sunshine himself on our cloudy day.... But, our story doesn't end here. 

Science says that kittens should not be raised as single cats (what we call "Singleton's") due to a behavioral disorder known as "Single Kitten Syndrome." Single kitten syndrome refers to the behavioral and social issues that can arise when a kitten is raised without littermates or other cat companions. 

The next day (the 19th) Nancy sent me a photo of a similar colored kitten inside a metal cage at a local animal control. "They have a singleton thats around the same age and size as Ray. I think he needs a friend." And since I knew Ray would be at risk of Single Kitten Syndrome as a singleton, I replied "Do it." Nancy reached out, Our volunteer drove over, and Ray's new (non-biological) 'sister' arrived at the rescue 2 hours later. We named her Shine- got to stick with the Sunny Themed names for these special babies! 

Ray instantly took to Shine. Typically, we do cat introductions slowly, but both these babies are estimated to be just 5 weeks old, and they were both lonely. The second we put Ray next to Shine, he opened up. He put his paw on her, tried to nibble her ear, and she started kissing his head. She was nervous of us, but she took to him too. She wasn't ready to play with him right away, so he curled up next to her and they fell asleep with their heads on each other. We are so happy we made the decision for Shine to join Ray, because we think they needed each other just as much as we needed both of them to heal our hearts (Thank you, Sunny, for sending them to us. Our little Rays of Sunshine straight from you. I just know it.) 

I originally didn't plan on asking for any donations for Ray & Shine. Even though we don't have the funds or the space for the pair, I was going to figure it out. I felt bad immediately asking for donations for the pair after our amazing donors and supporters helped us fundraise for the Sesame Street Kittens HCM ultrasounds (which are on Friday the 26th) and for Sunny & Bunny's vet bills (which we have now paid off.) However, after sharing the story about Ray & Shine, I have had over 10 people reach out on both Instagram and Tik Tok, offering to make a donation to sponsor Ray & Shines vet care while they are with us. So today, I crunched the numbers to figure out exactly how much we will spend to fully vet Ray & Shine in the next few months, and here I am, to humbly ask you to be their sponsors. Ray and Shine will get their first 2 rounds of PVRCC while they wait to get fixed. Once they hit 4 lbs, our vet will fix them and that is when they will get the rest of their vetting done. 

Ray and Shine will both need the following:

3 PVRCC vaccines each (Shine already received one from the AC she came from, so we will need 5 total), 1 round of dewormer for Ray (Shine was already dewormed before arrival from the AC,) 2 Rabies Shots (1 for each of them,) 2 FIV/FELV tests (1 for each of them, since they are not biologically related,) 2 rounds of flea and tick prevention (1 for each of them, this will be administered when they get fixed per our vets protocol,) 1 spay for Shine (she is a female,) and one Neuter for Ray (he is a male.) 

Total, for everything above, we will need $628. That is only for the basic vetting we require, if they need anything else while they are with us (like if they get UTI's or anything like that) that will be additional funds we will need for them, but we are not expecting those fees at this time, so I'm only asking for the basic vetting that we do prior to adoption. 

I understand that it was my decision to take these two babies in, and I did it based on emotion and not logic. But I believe that Sunny sent them to us to not only heal our hearts while we grieve his loss, but also to help Ray & Shine, because Sunny knew we took great care of him, so we would take great care of them too. I know we will be able to give Ray & Shine all the love in the world while they gain weight and grow, and with your help, be able to fully vet them once they hit 4 lbs, and then I'll be able to find them the most amazing, loving home (hopefully, together!)

Thank you so much for your unwavering support and love & for allowing me to share these sweet babies with you. Whether you donate $1 or $50, you are the true Angel who allows me to do what I do here at Pet Angel every day. 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

-- Abby Kreger, Pet Angel's Executive Director