With the help of a Kenosha rescue group, a young kitten who was horribly burned with chemicals and then abandoned is recovering.
Kenosha Forgotten Friends is a non-profit organization that focuses on caring for and eventually adopting animals with medical issues.
The group, which collaborates closely with Kenosha veterinarian Dr. William Carlisle, has developed a reputation among local animal shelters as a safe haven for dogs and cats who might otherwise be euthanized due to medical issues.
When Chicago Animal Control discovered a young cat walking the streets with horrific burns on its side, shelter personnel contacted Sandy Majest on Saturday to see whether Forgotten Friends would be interested in taking the kitten.
Majest stated, “She was scheduled to be euthanized.”
She explained that she had spoken with Carlisle, and the two of them looked at images of the injured cat.
“‘Oh my God, we’re getting her here,’ he murmured. Majest stated, “We can’t say no.”
The cat, who has since been given the name Phoenix, has been residing at Carlisle’s house since Sunday, where she is being treated for burns that cover nearly 80% of one side of her body.
She now receives medicated baths, laser treatments, and pain meds on a regular basis.
The cat, estimated to be 7 or 8 months old, is also malnourished and suffering from an upper respiratory illness, according to Majest.
“Once that’s healed, surgery will almost certainly be required because there will be a lot of scar tissue, and scar tissue can cause a lot of discomforts,” Majest explained. “It’ll take a very long time for her to recover.”
Despite this, Majest stated that Phoenix is affectionate and is dealing well with her treatment. Carlisle believes she will fully recover.
“He loves these kinds of cases, and that’s why we are here,” Majest noted.
Majest went on to say that most traditional animal shelters struggle financially to deal with difficult medical cases involving thousands of dollars in vet fees for a single animal.
Forgotten Friends does take in and find homes for normal, healthy pets, but it focuses on sick or injured animals in particular.
