Hoodlum’s Emergency Plumbing Repair Surgery

“He’s such a snuggler!”

Finding a forever home, or even a long-term foster, for incontinent cats is one of the hardest things to do in animal rescue. In his short life, Hoodlum (formerly Merlin) has been moved  from one dedicated foster to the next. At each stop the verdict was the same. His families adored his snuggly self, BUT. Or in his case, BUTT.

Hoodlum’s challenges were many and significant, even for an incontinent cat. He leaked both poop and urine, making it challenging to get a settled routine into place that would let him really integrate into a household. Time in diapers made it easier for him to be out and about, but increased the odds that he would contract potentially deadly urinary tract infections. He was also at high risk to develop urinary tract obstructions.

By the time he was 18 months old, both had already happened several times. It wasn’t looking great. Understandably, as the medical issues mounted, his behavior got more challenging. A combination of multiple foster homes, unavoidable isolation, the pain caused by a spinal fusion at his tail, and multiple infections made it harder and harder for fosters to keep him.

At the beginning of the year, he ended up transferring to an on-site cattery location. His frustration continued to grow. He was not getting any foster interest and incontinent cats do not do well in cattery. Finally a lifeline showed up.

Clara has been fostering for a decade, and specializes in tricky cats with medical issues. Hoodlum needed a foster with patience and good medical instincts. It couldn’t have been a better match!

As the weeks went by and Clara started addressing Hoodlum’s myriad problems, from painful physical issues to anxiety over years of not having a chance to really be his best cat self, her focus was always on how she could give Hoodlum the best possible life. It wasn’t easy. For example, while diapers were the best option from a household cleanliness standpoint, he developed wicked diaper rash that took weeks to get under control. There were many times where it would have been logical to say, “This is too much”, and hand him back to the rescue. But …

As is Clara’s way, she’d shake her head, remind herself that accidents are washable, and that she’d gotten through worse. And the other cats really seemed to like Hoodlum. Along the way, she realized that she’d also fallen for the lanky ginger boy who had made her home just as much his. Clara made the adoption official at the end of May.

She was finalizing the paperwork when the worst case scenario happened. Hoodlum developed a life threatening urinary tract blockage. Thanks to some amazing veterinarians, Hoodlum was able to undergo major surgery to reduce the risk of further blockages.

Surgeries like this, while necessary and life-saving, aren’t exactly a regular line-item in the budget of a single, struggling cat-mom. At the end of the day, it took an unexpected $5500 to save Hoodlum’s life, and Clara didn’t hesitate for a moment—wouldn’t ever hesitate, as anyone who knows her knows how generous her heart is. She has given so much to the rescue community (and honestly, to all of us who know her), and that isn’t transactional. She would never expect anything in return. But if you can help, and would like to, it would make a big difference.