Amalie is a beautiful 8-year-old short haired brown tabby cat that came to Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) in early June 2023. She was reported as a stray when employees at the Seattle Public Library High Point Branch reached out because, “A skinny, sickly looking friendly cat keeps trying to come inside.”
At the shelter, Amalie’s breathing was audibly loud and congested, and her nose was clogged with mucus. The shelter’ sent her to foster care and our’s Veterinary Services team jumped into action, putting her on a treatment plan which included multiple, short courses of antibiotics.
After a few weeks of no improvement, Amalie’s nasal passages were imaged using a CT scan to rule out a nasal tumor causing the infection. Luckily for Amalie, the CT and biopsy showed no signs of cancer! She did, however, have evidence of severe, chronic inflammation, especially in her left nasal cavity and frontal sinus. This chronic inflammation has caused the destruction of the internal tissues in her nose, which is irreversible. She had a nasal flush to help clear out some of the discharge which improved her “snuffiness,” but she will likely always have some degree of nasal congestion. Sadly, the inflammation also spread causing a urinary tract infection, dental disease, and arthritis/back pain. Poor Amalie!
Her medical issues are not unique, and many animals come to SAS with particular needs. Thankfully nowadays, with the support of Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF), the shelter had the support of a full-time Foster Coordinator to helps get animals into temporary homes to provide loving, around the clock care to animals like Amalie. With the addition of the Foster Coordinator, who supports a wonderful network of foster volunteers, plus donations from SASF to fund medical expenses, the team comes together to make a happy, healthy life for Amalie and so many more until their forever family is found.
Through it all, Amalie was always a happy and loving cat who couldn’t wait till the nearest person was seated so she could crawl up in their lap. However, even with her incredible personality, finding an adopter who was open to a cat with chronic respiratory issues was challenging. For months, adopters would apply to learn more but ultimately decline after reading her medical history and associated ongoing costs. In December, she was adopted to a great family, but unfortunately Amalie said “no” to living with the other cat in the home. She came back to the shelter and returned to her dedicated foster home.
As it turns out, a long time SAS volunteer lost their beloved cat in late 2023. Over the holidays, this volunteer stepped up to provide vacation coverage for Amalie, and absolutely fell in love. Over 7 months after her arrival at the shelter, Amalie was adopted, and the rest is history!
Your support makes stories like Amalie’s possible. Thank you for being a part of Amalie’s journey and for supporting the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation. Your generosity makes a difference in the lives of animals like Amalie every day.
