Angel, a Great Falls resident, has had a rough life that includes neglect, malnutrition, homelessness and despair. Her state was so poor that her rescuers say she’s one of the worst cases they have seen. Kathleen Mackinnon volunteers for the SPCA of Northern Virginia and is now caring for Angel, a medium-haired gray tabby cat with green eyes, as she recovers.
“This cat has been out there for a really long time and people were just ignoring her. She’s needed help for a long time. She’s not a scary cat or a feral cat. She was trying to find a home,” said Mackinnon.
Lori Burkhart, also a volunteer with the SPCA, said, “Angel was one of the worst cases of malnutrition [and] neglect ever.”
Angels situation came to the attention of rescuers because of two small boys. The cat had taken up residence outside a Great Falls home and was whining for food for weeks. The patriarch of the family, according to Mackinnon, refused to allow the other members of the family to feed to cat “because he didn’t want it hanging around.”
The two boys told their aunt about the cat who investigated the matter. “She was appalled. The cat was skin and bones. Just skin and bones. She immediately called us,” said Mackinnon.
“THE INNOCENCE OF THESE kids saved that cat. They weren’t tainted by ‘we don’t want it.’ They knew there was something wrong,” Mackinnon said.
Captain Pamela Minnich with the Fairfax County Animal Shelter said, “The kids had more sense than the adults, imagine that.”
“Neglect is likely to happen anywhere. Generally we see it more in lower incomes because they feel like they don’t have the money to pay the vet bill. But we see it in the upper incomes too. We’ve had horses in Great Falls and McLean where they’ve just been ignored and the people say they were having someone else take care of it,” said Minnich.
“This kind of thing runs the spectrum. It can happen anywhere. It’s a sad fact but it’s what we are here to deal with,” said Minnich. “If someone can’t take care of an animal they should just call us and let us call people who can,” said Minnich.
Jessica Floris said, “Sometimes people don’t call because they think all shelters put animals to sleep if they aren’t adopted. They think they are better off on their own out here. There are plenty of places that foster cats until they are adopted and that don’t put animals down. Strays are better off getting care than left out in the open where they can get sick, breed or suffer.”
Angel is estimated to be 12 years old. She has undergone surgery to one of her front paws because the nails on that paw had grown so long they curled under and became imbedded in her flesh. The veterinarian treating Angel also diagnosed her as severely malnourished and anemic.
“This cat would not have lasted more than a couple of weeks,” said Mackinnon. Because of her condition and the need to recuperate, Angel is not immediately being put up for adoption. Interested parties can see Angel at www.spcanova.org.
“We are looking for a very quiet foster home for her for a few months while she recoups. We will provide everything: litter, food, medical care,” said Burkhart.
<ro>How to Help
<lst>To contact the SPCA of Northern Virginia call 703-799-7370 or go to spcanova.org or write to SPCA of Northern Virginia, P.O. Box 10504, Arlington, VA 22210.