In December 2017, three gray kittens were found behind an apartment building by the building manager. He contacted the Friends for Life Rescue Network who immediately sent out to volunteers to locate and trap them. Then the kittens would be brought to the rescue, given medical care, and cared for until potential adopters could be found. But what the rescuers found was not what they had expected!
Jacqueline Figueroa, co-founder of the rescue, was on hand to try and trap the kittens. It was a tricky process to get the kittens near the food and the drop trap, but eventually, Figueroa was able to catch all three kittens and take them back to the rescue.
Sadly, one of the kittens, named Bear, passed away that night. Figueroa turned her attention to the remaining kittens, Foxy and Wolfie, to try to help them survive. The kittens were cold and starving, and at only 15 ounces, Figueroa was concerned that Wolfie wouldn't make it either.
The kittens were fed around the clock and kept warm. Fleas were removed from their skin, and the kittens began to settle in. Things looked hopeful for the babies at that point, even for the tiny male cat with the overbite. "At this point, we had no idea that Wolfie had problems. Aside from his adorable overbite and being underweight, he appeared to be eating well," Figueroa said.
Within a few days, Wolfie took a turn for the worse. He became lethargic and began to vomit up his food. Then he began gasping for air and stopped breathing. He was rushed to the veterinarian clinic where he was placed in an oxygen chamber. An x-ray showed that Wolfie's esophagus was entirely backed up.
Figueroa had to make a decision: "None of the vets at the clinic had ever seen this before. While at the ER, they pressed for me to euthanize. They said, 'I understand you want to save him. But it's a matter of…if you should.'
I had a simple question. 'Do you have diagnosis?' 'No.' The doctor replied. 'Then I'm not euthanizing him.'"
Wolfie had an endoscopy and survived. He woke up and made a tiny squeak. That's when Figueroa knew that this tough little kitten wasn't giving up, and neither was she!
​
Carefully feeding instructions had to be followed for the next few weeks. "I was instructed to try him on a liquid diet of kitten milk and then hold him upright for 5-10 minutes after every meal and to feed every two hours," Figueroa explained. With Figueroa's care and Woflie's gumption, this little kitten began to thrive!
Wolfie began to gain weight and started to act more like a healthy kitten, being curious and playful. In the meantime, the veterinarian finally pinpointed Wolfie's medical problem. "After his CT scan, the doctor discovered that he has a disorder where a tissue has grown and is making his esophagus super tiny. He has to be on a liquid diet until he weighs enough for corrective surgery," Figueroa stated.
With the loving care of several foster parents, Wolfie was taken care of every day. He rewarded his fosters by becoming stronger and healthier with each passing week. "He's happy and spunky and brave. He's a troublemaker and he loves my other cats. He's already learned to climb my very tall cat tree! He sleeps like an angel," Figueroa said.
Figueroa proudly shares Wolfie's progress: "He is now one pound and 14oz and gaining regularly. He has a HUGE belly! His overbite is to die for and he loves to stick out his tongue. His favorite toys are balls because he can chase them. When I kiss his face, he opens his mouth like he's going to bite but he's a total faker."
Wolfie is preparing for his corrective surgery and you can follow him on Instagram for updates. If you'd like to help contribute to Wolfie's medical fund, visit the rescue's PayPal page.
We hope that this brave little guy recovers fully and finds his forever home! Share Wolfie's amazing story with your family and friends on Facebook.