Pooks' Story: Persian Cat Saved from a Bad Breeder Gets Help

Cats Cradle Rescue, in the Portland, Oregon area, is taking on a Persian cat named Pooks next month, and is sharing her story, as it was written by the woman who paid a breeder a lot of money for the cat even though she was obviously in very bad shape.

Allison W. handed over $350 for Pooks because she felt bad for the unkempt, flea ridden and sickly looking cat and has done her best to help her, physically, emotionally and behaviorally. Pooks was in ill health and showed all the signs of having been cruelly caged in tight quarters and used for breeding by the worst sort of animal keeper.

Cats Cradle says: “About 6-months ago we met Pooks’ current owner, Allison. Her family was in financial turmoil and we paid for this sweet cat to have her current medical needs addressed. Allison has tried VERY HARD to help this cat and CCR will take Pooks in after the 4th when our foster homes are not too full.”

Cats Cradle has verified Allison W.’s story and is sharing it a their website and on Facebook.

Allison writes:

“Pooks is her name she is about 2-4 years old according to the vet. This is a long story I am sorry but feel its needed to be said for anyone who potentially will adopt her I want them to know the whole story and truth because I was not given that chance when I bought her.

“I found her on Craigslist about a year ago [through an ad that] said Persian kitten for sale 350.00. I asked the lady for an address and she said I had to meet her at a Walmart parking lot in Washington. I found that strange but always wanted a Persian. The lady took this small animal out of a tiny cardboard box infested with fleas, matted hair, and urine. That’s all I noticed at the time. I felt bad for the poor “kitten” and gave the lady the 350, took her home, bathed her and took her to the vet. The vet said she had a respiratory infection and gunky eyes so he gave me meds and I finished them out. The vet also told me this Kitten was not in fact a kitten but is a full grown cat. I was astounded as she is the size of a 6 month old kitten. He said by the amount of tartar build up she has to be 2-4 years but is hard to tell exactly.

“I took Pooks home and gave her so many baths to get rid of the fleas and matted hair. I noticed she had no idea what a cat box was and went in her food dishes. She ate so much she got sick. She still eats a lot. She was scared when I brought her home and for days felt she needed to be confined to one small area, Honestly I believe she was a breeder cat kept in a small area without a catbox, never groomed and deprived of food. But only Pooks knows what she went through.

“It took a couple of months but I taught her what a kitty box was. I can only imagine what life she had before me. I noticed her holding her right front paw up and I looked at her toenails closely to notice the nails were growing through the pads of her feet. I trimmed them they were infected and still to this day she needs trimmings on the 3 nails that are the worse. I contacted Cat’s Cradle and they were nice enough to take her to the vet again and this time it was a different vet. He said she needs teeth cleaned, she has a few bottom eyelashes that are starting to turn inwards to her eye and the hairs will need to be removed eventually. He was unsure if she was spayed or not. He also gave me some meds for eye gunk that returned. I wormed her twice for tapeworm and also round worm, gave her injections for parvo and the yearly adult shot.

“But I lost my job and things have been going downhill for my family and we moved in with my father. I can’t afford the treatment she needs and it is not fair to her. I don’t want a penny for her. All I want is a loving home for her that CAN afford her health needs. She has an extremely friendly personality and enjoys being bathed. She loves being brushed and needs brushed often. I always blow dry her, she even lets me brush her teeth. I can tell she has been neglected for attention and I honestly see that she appreciates every brushing and bath and knows i’m trying to help her. When I use the fingernail sander on her nails she calmly sits there even though I know it hurts some. I believe the 3 bad nails should be pulled out but I am not a fan of that. But it may be medically needed. The vet quoted about 400 for everything to be done that was medically needed. She is completely non aggressive and WILL let animals pick on her and do nothing about it. She lives with another cat and small dog and she plays with the dog and my other cat is not a fan of her and gets jealous. Last month she did come in heat and she needs to be spayed as well.”

Cats Cradle Rescue will get Pooks spayed and will have her three bad nails removed, and will place her in a loving and responsible foster home. They expect the cost for her spay and nail removal to be about $400 and are accepting donations via PayPal to help with her care. Donors are asked to note that the funds are for Pooks.

Cats Cradle Rescue has asked animal lovers to share their post about Pooke on Facebook – HERE. (As of this writing it has very few “likes” and shares.)

Pooks’ story is a reminder of the suffering and deprivation endured by those animals kept by the worst breeders, and of the kindness of the good hearted people who help animals to overcome abuse and neglect and move on to better lives.

Cat’s Cradle Rescue is an all volunteer non-profit rescue group formed to promote the well-being and adoptability of local Oregon cats. The group provides loving foster homes where abandoned and shelter felines can socialize in a family environment while receiving medical care, spay and neuter surgery with the goal of being adopted into qualified caring homes.