Iris, a sweet and beautful 6 month old Russian Blue, is on the mend and will soon be ready for adoption into a loving forever home. You wouldn’t know it to look at the dear girl now but a month ago she was alone, abused and in need of help. She got that help thanks to a wonderful shelter and many giving hearts.
Iris was discovered, lost and alone, on a back porch in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania in March of this year, and brought to Hillside SPCA, a caring no-kill shelter n Pottsville. She had endured a sexual assault with an unknown object, which inflicted serious injury to the entire area. The injury was determined to be several days old, and was badly swollen and infected. Thankfully, Iris’ unirary tract was not punctured but urinating and elimnation were a painful matter for her. She recieved treatment for her torn tissue and received monitoring for food and fluid intake.
Iris in her Elizabethan collar worn during her recovery
Here’s how Hillsde characterized her progress after initial treatment:
“Sweet Iris is recovering slowly but surely after her violent attack 2 1/2 weeks ago. The affected area is healing and shrinking in size. She is amazing! Exploring her surroundings and enthusiastically batting toys around indicate she is feeling better. Bladder control is still an issue, and although she uses the litter box when in her little private space, she has some leakage, which our vet hopes will lessen as her healing progresses. We remain hopeful! Beautiful Iris, with a personality to match, deserves a full recovery and a happy forever home.”
Update on March 26:
“Her wounds are still in a critical state, we are anxiously to see if she regains bladder control. it not, it could be problematic.
Soon ready for foster care, her wounds need to be treated/cleansed daily, and she will have many vet visits ahead of her. iris endures but is so accepting and so very sweet. if attitude gets her through, she’ll have a successful recovery.”
Iris on her Milty blanket
Iris’ story reached beyond Pennsylvania when it came to the attention of animal lovers on Facebook, who followed her progress at Hillside SPCA’s Facebook page, organized a Pawcircle of healing wishes and prayers for her, and sent donations to help cover the costs of her medical care. The Milty Blanket she is snuggled upon in the picture is a cosy love token sent as a gift by her friends.
After she was healed enough to leave the vet Iris moved to foster care, where she remains, for now.
Update on Aprl 15:
“We have great news about Iris! She is ninety-nine percent healed and our veterinarian gives her an excellent prognosis. Holding her urine and using the litter box presents only a minor problem and should continue to improve.
We could not ask for anything more at this point. What a brave and sweet girl Iris is! She has endured so much, and because of everyone’s prayers, and financial and moral support, Iris is in a great place right now. In just a few weeks she will be spayed and ready to be adopted into a loving home. We anxiously await that day, and so does Iris!”
The person who committed the reprehensible act has not, to our knowledge, been identified or charged, but Iris has largely recovered from the assault and is the happy playful cat she was always meant to be. She has brought together a community of cat lovers, and she and they have put more goodness and love into the world than her attacker took out of it. She is very close to her happy ending.
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Donations can be made to help with Iris’ continuing medical care, or to assist the other animals who come to Hillside needing care, at the Donations page at the shelter’s website.
Iris <3
Thank you so much for sharing Iris’ story. She is a beautiful, brave and loving little girl who has been terribly abused. I wish Iris and all who have cared for her all the blessings life can bring.
horrific story, hard to wrap my mind around……………….glad she is safe & ok now.
Its so good to see a happy ending like this. Iris is very lucky & deserves the best life possible. I’m so glad she received such good care. Such a sweet cat. I know she will go to a good home. If the person(s) are ever caught, I hoped they beat & tortured & put out to pasture.
Thank you Karen and Life With Cats for telling Iris’ story so tenderly. Despite what she has been subjected to, Iris is a beautiful soul…full of purrs even when her wounds are being tended to. Thank you for loving her.
I once had a russian blue , they are the most angelic of all kitties. What she has endured is unthinkable, i pray they catch the person who did that. I am thankful that she is safe now.
Since humans are the only messed up living creatures on this Planet, the kitty was obviously hurt and abused by a human… hope the payback is on it’s way.. Best wishes and lots of love to the beautiful kitty, and good people, for taking such a good care of her <3
They sure are, Laurie. I was blessed with a beautiful Blue girl for 16 years. I am very fearful for other vulnerable beings in the area where Iris was found. The perpetrator of her abuse needs to be found and fast.
Karma better kick that person in their private areas…and soon!!! What kind of person does something like that?!?! It makes me so, so SICK!!!
Just when you think that you’ve heard everything…I was going to say that I wish for really horrible things to happen to the person that did this to her but I dare say something really horrible did happen to them hence this attack on dear Iris. Thank you to the shelter, thank you to the vet and thank you to the foster family who continues to care for her ad of course, thank you to to LWC for telling her story; I’m so sorry that you had her story to tell.
OMGGGGG ! And, I thought I had heard it all! What kind of disgusting human being would do something like that?!! Well, I’m relieved that she’s ok & recovering well. I hope she finds the perfect home that she deserves!!
what is wrong with people???!!!!! poor sweet baby. what a doll. animals are amazing
This the sickest thing Ihave ever heard of.. Mixed up world we live in.. Poor sweet angel girl.. Your life will be better from here on out.. You are an amazing girl and deserve all the love that awaits you in a furever home.. Healing prayers for you sweetheart.. <3
Oh my god I can’t believe someone would do that to a kitty!! I’m practically in tears over here! 🙁 Some people are so disgusting and ugly.
what a mongrel a poor defenseless animal your f…..sick
Iris is beautiful!! she looks just like my babe girl Sugar when she was little well Sugar still look like that but she is one big kitty now who is just a little over 3 yrs old (my other cat MoJo,, they from same litter Sugars sister is a tabby)
I hope Iris was at least able to get whoever did this with her claws and teeth! One of my daughter’s cats, Snowy, was found locked in an animal carrier as a kitten. He had been in there for weeks and damaged his paws so bad trying to get out that they had to amputate some of his toes. It never ceases to amaze me the cruelty people are capable of.
I cannot thank you enough for just saying abuse instead of feeling the need to spread all the possibly nasty details in the title. I’m having real trouble reading some of these and I find myself getting very upset and feeling sick in the stomach over it. Having said that I know that it needs to be revealed but it should be MY choice if I want to know the details~! Like the picture of a dead german shepherd I saw on here yesterday that was literally left to starve to death. It makes me sick and I have enough health issues~! God bless you for taking care of her, she’s a pretty kitty and I’m so glad that she is doing so well~! : * )
Sweet girl I’m so sooo happy that this won’t leave permanent scars on your sweet little soul and body <3 It's fantastic that so many people care and have the love in them to help this little girl!
grrr,im so so agree with you! heartless and evil who could have think of that even for a helpless cat…
Thank you to everyone who has given this beautiful creature a good ending. Thanks, Jacque for letting all of know about Iris.
Meows, purrs, and prayers to beautiful Iris… She is a beautiful cat and deserves a long, happy, and safe life…
What a terrible story, it makes me ashamed to be a human being. How could someone do this to one of God’s defenceless creatures. I am sure that payback time is coming. I just wish I lived nearer to give this brave girl a home. Over the last 20 years I have given 12 abused and abandoned cats a home. Now I only have 2 left, but unfortunately I am in the UK
Bless, Little Iris!
I cannot fathom WHY a person would behave in such an animalistic, vile way. I am pleased to read Iris is healing ….but heavens sakes, what a traumatic experience for the dear to endure. I hope she finds that most humans are not animals and beasts but loving mommies and daddies to such precious creatures! Love you Iris… my heart is wrapped around you and hope you continue to heal and trust in humans again.
Peggy Jo,
Since her rescue, Iris has known love and caring. The shelter plans to find Iris a good home after she has her spay surgery and is fully recovered. We plan to post an update on her story at that time.
Annette, thanks for writing to confirm our impression of how wonderful Hillside is. We have heard glowingly of them from someone close to Iris’s story, as well.
I am anxiously awaiting another update about Iris and her adoption. What happened to Iris touched my heart and soul and I knew I had to do everything I could to help her. Helping Iris has helped me with my own healing process. There were so many people who responded and did so much to get the word out about Iris. I’m not technical, but many of my friends are and they came to my rescue. Suszan knew how to do everything and she was able to contact the people to get a prayer circle started. She also made sure Iris received her very own handmade Milty blanket made by Maike. I pray for Iris everyday. I am so thankful and grateful to everyone who responded to Iris and helped her, whether it was through prayer or financial donations. Hi Iris. I love you. Joyce and Icy
I am SO happy to hear about Iris’s healing process here! My heart broke reading her account on Facebook today..It makes me irate to hear how “supposed” human beings make the decision to violate and damage a defenseless kitten like this. I would like to see someone who knows who did this in the neighborhood give him a good old fashioned beat down. Seriously, our laws don’t do anything to these sick creeps and what is going to stop more from doing this to animals just because they can? Someone knows who did this awful deed and I hope they have the morals to step up and report them to the police. THEN, we wait and see what is done and if it’s justice for Iris!!!! I pray she finds the best loving, gentle home where she can be spoiled for the rest of her long feline life!!! Bless you, Iris and SPCA!!!
A MILLION THANKS 4 the wonderful person who found Iris and got her fixed up!! I knew people were EVIL & SICK but this goes beyond my comprehension…I am so glad she is doing well! Does the vet think she may have a life-long problem with UTI’s because of her trama?
I hope the person (s) who did this gets back what they did 10 fold…Kharma is a B***h.
I love cats but my favorite are Russian Blues. God Bless you for giving her such a wonderful home and blessings have found you also, by getting to adopt this sweet, beautiful and loving kittie…love to all…Susan…
I 1st saw this horrific story on fb. I couldn’t read 4 crying. When they find this evil, sadistic deviant, the person(s) punishment should b the same that was done 2 Iris. I also think castration should take place while the individual(s) r FULLY conscious! I know that a woman could also b involved. Therefore she shoul b sexually violated. There’s a place in Hell 4 sadistic, evil, deviants.