The Cinnamon Saga
Our little fighter Cinnamon, post-procedure and recovering well.
Meet Cinnamon.
We were notified of an injured 4 month old community kitten at a
new colony site in Salt Lake City, UT. It appeared she had a hurt paw.
The first night I went to try and catch her she kept going close to the trap, but not enough where I could get her. She was in bad shape so I thought I could get her to trust me and come to me with food, but she got spooked and ran away. I went back the next night knowing that I had to help her. Time was running out and I was about to pack up for the night when the big tom cat came and got some samples from under the trap and just a moment later Cinnamon hopped out from the bushes and went right under the trap.
We took her to our community cat clinic the next morning to be fixed and to have her paw treated.
Our fingers were crossed that it was something minor. After waiting anxiously for a call with a prognosis we were told that she weighed just over 2lbs, had a fever (sign of extreme infection), several bite wounds, and the possibility of several broken bones.
It's likely that she was attacked by a much larger animal but clearly she is a little fighter and I’d really hate to see the other guy. Unable to give x-rays at this specific clinic we then took her to another vet where we would be able to see clearly the extent of her injuries and be able to come up with a care plan for her. I couldn’t say no to helping this little girl, so brought her home, built her an enclosed safe space, and that she just needed to be tough for a few more weeks.
While at the vet the x-rays showed a shattered elbow bone.
The good news was that the injuries seemed to be consolidated to this specific leg. Scroll quickly if you don't want to see the medical images!
It was clear that Cinnamon had a long road of recovery ahead of her, but all of these issues were treatable. Her leg needed to be amputated, and she will would have to learn to live life on 3 legs (and learn to like humans). With the financial support of the community we were able to raise the funds to get her amputation done. While in surgery the vet made the decision to remove her shoulder blade as well. This decision was made due to the widespread of infection in her soft tissue and bone. This made the decision final. With no protection to the left side of her body, Cinnamon would never be an outdoor cat.
I believe it is our responsibility to care for these cats and kittens.
I was told to euthanize this kitten, but I am not giving up on her.
Cinnamon has been post-surgery for 1 week as of today and is a completely different kitten. She enjoys snuggling on my shoulder, watching the other kittens run and play, and is learning to navigate her surroundings with one less leg. She is in no more pain, and will never have to fear for her life again.
Follow our social for more updates about Cinnamon, and if you’re interested in adopting her go ahead and fill out the application!