Ethel’s Story

Ethel was found on the street with an incredibly swollen mouth. A Good Samaritan saw Ethel and how sweet she was, so she took her into her home. The very first night Ethel was with her rescuer she curled up in her lap. Ethel was probably very happy to be with someone who saw her and wanted to help. Ethel was dropped off with Feral Cat Coalition to receive immediate medical attention. Vets were concerned of what the swelling could be caused by, and their worst fear was that it was cancer. Smittens agreed to take her in as a rescue cat.

A biopsy was taken and Ethel had to wait for the results. In the meantime, medicine helped her feel more comfortable. Through this entire ordeal, Ethel was a very loving and sweet kitty who LOVED getting pets.

The results came back: STOMATITIS! This was good news because stomatitis is treatable with medicine and a full mouth extraction. In Ethel’s case, because the inflammation is so severe, she may be on meds for life.

Stomatitis in cats is a complex, painful, and frustrating disease that causes severe inflammation of the entire mouth. It is INCREDIBLY painful for cats. Cats affected by stomatitis can live with the disease for many years, but their quality of life can be severely affected. The relentless pain caused by stomatitis can cause a change in everything from a cat’s demeanor to an unwillingness to eat, leading to drastic weight loss.

If a rescuer hadn’t taken Ethel off the streets, her future would remain very painful and bleak.

Ethel received a full mouth extraction and has been recovering ever since. Her swelling has gone down significantly and she as happy and loving as ever.

The total cost of her treatment is about $3,000 (including the discount for Smittens).