Buddy

There isn´t much we can tell about the long life of this grandfather, but we are sure it wasn’t much of a life at all. Buddy is one of our cats that comes from years of living on the streets, eating whatever he cold, never getting spayed nor vaccinated. He is a survivor of the misery that most street cats face due to abandonment and neglect.

Buddy would visit the park from time to time but wouldn’t eat with us in the morning. The few times he would come close, he had no interest in eating nor staying with us. Some months passed and we never saw Buddy. When he finally ate with us one morning it was clear how his health had quickly deteriorated. His breathing was congested, his fur had no shine and his eyes had lost any gleam of hope. We were determined to trap him. The next day all worked miraculously in our favor and Buddy finally went to the vet. At the vet he was tested for viruses (all negative) and was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, extreme dehydration and malnourishment. He started his long road to recovery and spent a few days at the hospital where he was given vapor treatments, medication, pain killers and fluids. He had already lost his teeth, all but one, which was probably causing him excruciating pain. That tooth was extracted and Buddy´s road to living a pain-free life began. He spent a couple of weeks in foster care and his lungs cleared, he gained some weight and began to show his funny but kind personality. He is truly a sweet cat! Imagine that in spite of all he probably endured, he ends up being a sweet and loving cat! A true lesson on resilience, forgiveness and inner strength. Buddy is truly our friend. He is now back in his familiar environment at the park where he follows us around and enjoys our company. He eats better than ever and has a gleam of hope back in his eyes. Buddy may have grown up on the streets, but that never means that he should be ignored and expected to fight his own way. These cats are in the streets because of negligence, so we cannot deny helping them and turning human error into triumph. We love you, Buddy, and all the moments you have given us to watch you transform into the beautiful being you always were but had to be given the chance to show. You are what true inner beauty is all about.