Support Joby's Rainbow Bridge Crossing

Joby was a fighter. I wish I could know his whole story. He was 13 years old, and he came to us in February as a hospice foster through Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC). We have been part of the foster program for a few years now, helping out where we can.

Joby was found near death, in a snowbank, by a passing lady. She took him to the local ER Vet. He was a mess. He had frostbite on all his pads, his ear tips, chin, and his back hocks. The hocks were the worst, and the vets thought it might have gone all the way to the bone. He was severely matted, so they tried to shave a bunch off, but started hitting damaged skin, so they stopped to not hurt him any more. They passed him on to MADACC for further care once they found he was chipped.

MADACC took him in, found he had a bad UTI and a URI. He couldn't walk, and would just lay there soiling himself. Severely dehydrated, they gave him fluids, and meds, and offered him food. He would eat when offered, but wouldn't make any move in his crate to find more. After his first night, he started to crawl using his front legs to find food and water. Over the next couple days he actually started to hobble around, but still spent most of his time sleeping.

Bloodwork came back and showed he was very anemic and possibly diabetic.

Since he had a chip, they were able to find out his name and age. There was a previous owner attached as well, and they contacted them. Those owners had given him up several years ago and didn't want him back.

He was still not doing well, not eating enough, or drinking enough, and the vets at MADACC weren't sure he was going to survive the weekend. They put out a call to fosters to see if someone would take him in so his final days weren't spent in a clinic setting, but instead in a loving home.

We answered the call. That Friday we brough him home.

He hobbled his way out of the crate and started to purr. He found his home and his people.

Joby was a fighter for sure. In just the first 24 hours that we had him, he would walk from the bed to the food/water to the litter box. He ate like a champ. He was still matted and overall in poor condition, so we spent a lot of time softly grooming him to pull out all the bad fur. After a week, we gave him his first bath. It was after that, he actually started to groom himself again!

Joby would wander the house, finding new places to claim as his. The other cats and dog would leave him alone for the most part. Everyone was getting along.

After a few weeks, and more bloodwork, all his levels returned to normal. He was walking well, his wounds were all healing, his hind legs looked great. He found a new life and was determined to live it, and we were more than happy to oblige this snuggle bug Disaster Cat. Talking with the vet at MADACC, we decided he was no longer needing to be on hospice foster, so, we adopted him! Joby was now a full time member of our family.

I could write stories about every day he spent with us. Each one was unique and endearing to us, and to all his fans. The moment we talked about him to our friends, they fell in love with him. Many of our friends were checking in on him regularly. He was definitely a star!

Just over a week ago, he took a turn. While we, and the vet, aren't positive, it is thought that he may have had a small stroke, or a debilitating seizure of some kind. He lost most of his vision, and he couldn't purr any more. He would wander around the house aimlessly, and with a lot more wobbling. He had trouble finding his food, so we started holding the dish under his nose so he could eat. He found the water dish (since he could hear it) but had trouble 'finding' the water for a while. Eventually he would and would drink. He could find the litter box, but wouldn't always be in it fully when he used it. There were also several pee accidents in the middle of the floor. It was heart wrenching to see. We got him in for bloodwork, and it came back pretty normal. We gave him a steroid shot and that did perk him up for about 12 hours, but then he began to decline again.

Finally, we knew it was time. He was tired, and ready to go. With the help of Paws to Say Goodbye, they came to our home and helped Joby to cross the Rainbow Bridge.

We are asking for help to cover his euthanasia and private cremation costs. His ashes will be coming home to us and will be set among all our other past fur-babies. Joby truly was a member of our family and holds a place amongst his kith and kin.