Cat Lost Her Ears -- So The Shelter Made Her A New Pair

[catbyte]

“We worried that her adoption process may take longer since she looked a little funny, so I decided to use my crochet skills to help her stand out" ❤️️

BY CAITLIN JILL ANDERS

Lady in a Fur Coat was found as a stray near Madison, Wisconsin, in early December and quickly brought to Dane County Humane Society. As soon as she arrived, everyone at the shelter could see that she was in pain, and immediately began trying to figure out how to help her.

“Our veterinarians gave her a thorough exam and determined that she was suffering from chronic ear infections and hematomas in both ears,” Ash Collins, donor relations specialist at Dane County Humane Society, told The Dodo.



Due to the pain she was in, it was decided that the best thing to do would be to remove Lady’s ear flaps. While she recovered from her surgery, she stayed at the veterinarian's office, getting attention and love around the clock. As her pain went away and she began to hear a little better, the sweet cat came out of her shell more and more each day, and once she was back at the shelter, everyone there fell head over heels for the earless cat, too.

“Lady is such a sweet cat,” Collins said. “She loves to cuddle and give head bumps, and our staff and volunteers really enjoyed spending time with her while she recovered.”

Once Lady fully healed and was ready to find her forever family, her new shelter friends were a little worried that her lack of ears would scare away potential adopters. Lady is still so cute even without her ears, of course, but as Collins wondered if other people would see that, she suddenly had the sweetest idea.



“We worried that her adoption process may take longer since she looked a little funny, so I decided to use my crochet skills to help her stand out with an adorable purple ear bonnet,” Collins said.

As soon as Lady’s new ears were ready, Collins gently placed them on her head and snapped a few pictures, and the reactions they got from the rest of the world were absolutely perfect.

“Our staff and volunteers thought she was so adorable in her new ears, and we have had lots of positive reactions from our supporters as well,” Collins said. “Lady was adopted the same day she was made available for adoption, thanks to her picture on Facebook with her crocheted ears!”



Lady was just so cute in her photos, with and without her new ears, that someone applied to adopt her right away, and she’s now happily settled into her new forever home. She’s already doing so well, and everyone is thrilled that the quirky cat got her very well-deserved happy ending.

“I was happy to be a small part of Lady’s second chance,” Collins said.

https://www.thedodo.com/close-to-home/shelter-cat-with-no-ears-gets-special-ha

[Iliyah]

1. K & R . . . .

[Laffy Kat]

2. Oh, my heart.

What a sweet thing to do for that adorable girl. The lavender looks great with her fur color.

[question everything]

3. I thought that cats need ears for balance.

Hope she manages. So cute and adorable.

[NJCher]

7. it does have something to do with it

although not having the flap won't hurt her sense of balance. The ear infections, not treated, would, however.

I have an older cat who recently had a severe ear infection, completely unbeknownst to me. When I discovered it, I rushed her to the emergency vet. I learned that it's the inner ear that has to do with balance.

$1400 later she has her ninja back and can leap to the top of our bed that's 3' high. She's so fast that she's just a white streak! For a while, though, it was a real struggle with all the medications I had to give her.

[PatrickforO]

4. Poor little sweetheart! But at least she'll get some relief.

Ear infections can really bug them.

And I'm so happy she is in a forever home. That's awesome.

[Bayard]

5. Great Cinderella story!

[Jack-o-Lantern]

6. Aww, what a wonderful story.

[Rebl2]

8. She looks

like a Scottish fold and I had one. She did have ear issues. Had to clean them often.

[Fla Dem]

9. Feel bad for the poor cat. Didn't know what Aural Hematomas are in cats are so looked it up.

After reading several article, question why they amputated the poor cats ears. Amputation was not mentioned in any of the articles I read. Her ears had not reached the advanced stage of hematoma where they become "cauliflower" in shape. My thinking is that amputation was the more expedient treatment and maybe less expensive. However left the poor cat with a permanent handicap.

Posted 2 of the articles here for any other furbaby Moms and/or Dads. Found them very informative.

Aural Hematoma

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/aural-hematoma

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Treatment for an aural hematoma ranges from needle aspiration of the blood and any clots that have accumulated in the pinna to surgical drainage. Surgery is preferable, since needle aspiration is usually only a temporary fix. Dr. Flanders describes the typical surgery as follows: “We anesthetize the cat, make an incision on the inside of the pinna, drain the accumulated blood from the pinna, and then suture the inside and outside of the earflap together, so that the inner skin is pressed flat against the outer skin. By doing this, the space where blood could accumulate in the future is obliterated.”

Hematoma of the Ear in Cats
By Ryan Llera, BSc, DVM; Ernest Ward, DVM Medical Conditions, Surgical Conditions, Pet Services

What is the treatment for an ear hematoma?

Hematoma of the Ear in Cats. ... An aural hematoma is a collection of blood, either fresh or clotted, within the pinna (ear flap). When a hematoma is present, the pinna will appear very thick and spongy. The swelling may involve the entire pinna or it may involve only one area of the ear.

Left untreated, an ear hematoma will resolve in time as the fluid is absorbed back into the animal's body. However, a large hematoma could take months to heal and cause considerable discomfort to your pet.

The cartilage will take on an odd, bumpy shape—and the cat is apt to end up with a permanent cauliflower ear.” Treatment for an aural hematoma ranges from needle aspiration of the blood and any clots that have accumulated in the pinna to surgical drainage.

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The hematoma should be treated as soon as possible to minimize the chance of permanent disfigurement of the ear. Many ear hematomas are treated with surgery. The actual surgical technique varies with the individual circumstances and veterinarian's preference but always involves the same basic steps.

The blood is removed from the pinna. This is accomplished by making a small incision in each end of the hematoma. A drain tube may be passed through the hematoma and sutured to the ear to remove any more blood or serum that accumulates in the area. Alternatively, the skin over the hematoma may be incised and opened completely.

The space where the blood accumulated is eliminated. This is accomplished by a placing a series of sutures (stitches) that are passed completely through the ear flap holding both layers of skin to the cartilage.
The pinna is stabilized to prevent further damage. Shaking after the ear pinna has been sutured at this time may cause further damage to the ear.

MORE>>>
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hematoma-of-the-ear-in-cats