Lola & Lucy
When Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue, based in Kenosha, WI, was contacted by Happy Jack Cats all the way over in Boise, ID, about two neglected little Persian sisters who were kept in deplorable conditions, there wasn’t much to think about. They knew they had to help. Happy Jack Cats played a huge role in getting these girls to safety, but they quickly realized that Lola and Lucy needed more than what they could provide and reached out for help. As it turns out, SPCR was one of fifty rescues contacted for help by Happy Jack Cats, but the only one who responded and acted on it.
Rather swiftly, volunteer transport was organized from the vast pool of SPCR supporters, which extends around the country. One leg of the transport involved flying the girls from Boise to Chicago, but first they needed medical clearance from a vet to be sure they were healthy enough to fly. Once clearance was granted, the girls were on their way to freedom.
Because SPCR is a home-based foster rescue, the girls are now settled in their foster home where they are receiving nutricious food, warm beds and medical attention. They are bonded sisters named Lola and Lucy. They are bonded because Lucy has no eyes and uses Lola, who only has one eye, as her ‘seeing eye cat’. Together, they share one eye and have never been apart. Both girls have severe dental disease and are dangerously underweight, but are happily eating in foster care with lofty goals of putting on enough weight to get their dentals. Despite their pitiful start, Lola and Lucy are sweet, loving girls enjoying the good life and the luxury of a clean litter box!
Lola and Lucy are just one example of the many day to day adventures going on behind the scenes at SPCR. You can help Lola and Lucy, and others, by supporting SPCR. Please donate today!
Read SPCR’s Lola & Lucy’s story featured on LoveMeow.com published on March 10th, 2017.
September 13, 2017
Both Lucy and Lola have been adopted and found their forever homes. You can follow their new adventures on Instagram.
April 13, 2017
Little Lola needs to have soft palate surgery. She has such a severe underbite, that she can not chew food, so her foster parents emusify canned pate with some water added, which works great, but she also has problems with gagging and swallowing food, because of her elongated palate, which is very common in dogs and cats that are brachycephalic (flat faced). She tends to eat less, because of her “floppy palate” and it could cause other potential problems down the road, if not addressed. She is very tiny at 4 1/2 lbs, so we do need a surgeon’s skill in this surgery.
March 27, 2017
Big Surgery Day! Lucy was spayed and had a dental. Lola was spayed and had nasal surgery.
March 12, 2017
Lola is back home from the vet and she’s feeling so much better and eating up a storm. Surgery went well and with a full belly, it’s nap time. The girls will be part of SPCR for a while yet and won’t be up for adoption until they are completely well.
March 9, 2017
While the girls are continuing pn their road to health, Lola has had a setback. Even with all the care, love, and medical attention, Lola’s eye must be removed. At the vet visit they notice her eye has begun to rupture, so removal is the only option. Lucy, on the other hand, is healthy enough for her spay. Both girls will likely need dental work too down the road but for now it’s one step at a time.
March 5, 2017
Lola’s eye has taken a turn for the worse. She has a condition known as Bullous Keratopathy, and is going to need lots of supportive vet care that will really deplete SPCR funds for other cats in need.
UPDATES:
June 14, 2017
It has been quite the journey, and interesting things have happened along the way, since we started fostering them in Feb.
Before Lola lost her eye, Lucy had depended on her for guidance, but when Lola’s eye was compromised and hurting, she didnt want Lucy by her side, because she didn’t want her bumping into it, so Lucy learned to stay away. As you all know, Lola’s eye ruptured, and she was not the leader anymore, and was infact, floundering in her newfound world of darkness. She would sit in a corner, huddled in a ball, all day, every day. She wouldn’t utter a sound, didnt clean herself, would pee where she laid, and hissed at her sister, when she came near.
But during this time, Lucy flourished! She had found her independence! She wanted to roam and explore, and was constantly on the move. Nothing or no one scared her. The roles were reversed.
Eventually Lola healed, but she was having a hard time eating, even though their canned food is emulsified. Both girls have severe underbites, but Lola’s seemed to affect her eating and swallowing more than Lucy’s. So Lola had surgery on her soft palate, to make it a normal shape instead of oblong. More healing time, but the surgery worked.
The girls have gained weight, and now, both are 5+ lbs. A far cry from the 2 lbs they were, 6 months ago, when they were first discovered in ID.
But now the interesting thing is, they are both very independent, and the bond is gone. They never do anything together, and infact, avoid each other. The pict, is a rare occurence, and lasts for only a minute. They always spend time in their own space.
The girls are done with their surgeries, are now healthy, happy, independent, well adjusted little kitties. They are now in the kitchen, and we’re doing some fine tuning with litterbox habits, getting used to the hustle and bustle of daily life, and Lola is getting used to walking on vinyl and wood floors (At first she hated walking on anything but carpeting).
Our time with them is winding down, in 1-2 months, they’ll be ready for adoption.
There’s been up and downs, sadness and happiness, but the greatest of adventures, and we wouldnt of missed it for the world! They truly are a couple of remarkable girls, and could teach us all a lesson on the trials and tribulations of life, overcoming, and coming out on top!
