Misty

01/29/2019 - We have suffered a terrible tragedy.

Never did I think I would be writing this and this is very hard for me to share. Misty died suddenly and unexpectedly on the evening of Sunday, January 27. We don’t know what happened. She was happy and fine that morning and afternoon. When we found her body she was already gone. She was a very special kitten who taught us so much.

We are better because Misty was in our lives, even if it was only for six short months. Misty, who so valiantly fought the odds, enriched the lives of those who met her, even when she wasn’t especially nice to new people! 😆 Misty taught us to live in the moment, to play hard and to sleep harder, to soak up the sun at every opportunity, to hold your ground and to overcome your obstacles because that’s what we are all meant to do in life.

Michelle, Sharon and I want to thank everyone who supported Misty, both with donation and kind words, and for the countless messages we got asking for updates. Without you, our work with Misty would have not been possible. On Monday 01/28, the day after Misty left us, Michelle and I signed on the line and officially adopted her. Although this may sound silly, it was our way to show our love and the forever home she had with us. I have gathered together some of the many pictures from the last six months that show Misty's growth from bottle baby to kitten.

We are struggling greatly with this. It hurts every time we come home and she is not there, every time it's time for her medication and every time we open our camera roll. Thank you in advance for the kind words and for all your support. 💔 #helpkittenmisty

- Louis

Misty's Story

Our bottle baby Misty was rescued from a hoarding situation in July 2018. We were not involved with the other cats in the house and were only contacted when Misty was found, at about 1 day old. Misty mother was removed and there was no chance of the two being reunited. Misty needed help and immediate rescue intervention.

We bottle fed Misty for most of the summer. Some of you may have even met her along the way since she came almost everywhere with us!

A few short weeks after Misty began eating solid food she began to struggle while eating. She began regurgitating her food causing her to inhale it and aspirate. X-rays were taken and doctors suggested Misty has a Persistent Right Aortic Arch.

A few weeks later Misty received a CT scan to get a better photo of what was going on. The good news, Misty does not have a vascular ring anomaly which was first suspected on x-ray. Chest surgery would have been extremely risky and we are relieved she did not need it. So what’s going on with Misty?

A foreign object was seen in Misty’s stomach on the CT scan which the doctors were surprised to see in such a young kitten. This item did not appear in x-rays. The location of the damage (constricting) to the esophagus, that may have been caused by this object bouncing around her stomach, was at the same location you would find a vascular ring anomaly which explains prior suspicions. Misty also has megaesophagus which means her esophagus is enlarged and unable to properly move food from the mouth to the stomach. When foods and liquids cannot make their way into the stomach, an animal may regurgitate and begin to lose weight. In addition, regurgitation that is inhaled into the lungs can cause aspiration pneumonia, which can be fatal if not treated promptly. Each case of megaesophagus is different and the steps needed to support a cat with megaesophagus can vary greatly from animal to animal.

Misty underwent a gastrotomy to remove foreign material on October 18, 2018. She did very well and the object was removed successfully. The doctors at Blue Pearl also attempted a esophageal endoscopy to see what is going in Misty's esophagus. Unfortunately, because Misty was so small, they were not able to scope far enough to see the constricting of her esophagus.

The object removed from Misty's stomach was a flaked off piece of liner from a playpen we use for our foster kittens. Not only did we identify the item by color and pattern, but we also found the playpen it was from. Like a puzzle piece!

This has been a big eye opener to us. Of course, our playpens see a lot more action then most and are disinfected very often. All of this caused the plastic lining to become brittle and flake off. Needless to say, these older playpens are now in the trash.

For those who foster and use playpens for kittens, please keep a close eye on your equipment. At first glance it may appear that the material used to build the playpen can’t flake off. But, as we all learned through Misty’s experience, it sure can.

Caring for Misty is not easy. Every case of megaesophagus is unique and Misty is no different. Misty must be fed a liquid diet (kitten food blended with water) and be fed in an upright position. In addition to having an enlarged esophagus, Misty biggest problem is the stricture (an abnormal narrowing) at the base of her esophagus, towards her stomach, and the constant build up of mucus. Not only is it hard for Misty to move food down her esophagus, the stricture makes it very difficult for solid food to enter the stomach. This is why Misty is on a liquid diet and why she can only eat small amounts at a time. After eating she often needs to be held upright to allow the food to pass completely into her stomach.

Caring for Misty is very frustrating too. She has good days and bad days. We can do the same thing every day, feed her the same amount of food per serving - and sometimes she has no trouble eating and others she regurgitates more than once a day. Often she throws up or regurgitates mucus, not food. Often after eating only a small amount. We are working with doctors to come up with the best medication plan for Misty.

NEXT STEPS FOR MISTY

Next steps for Misty is to keep her alive and allow her to continue to grow. No further procedures can be performed until she is larger. Once she is about 6 - 7 months old, another attempt at a esophageal endoscopy and ballooning of the esophageal stricture. If and when she does regurgitate we need to treat her with antibiotics to prevent aspiration pneumonia. Misty is currently on antacid medications and medications to heal her esophagus. Until we have a better idea of Misty's long term care she will remain fostered with TNR Utopia.

UPDATES

We will be posting regular updates about Misty's progress online here and on our social media feeds, @tnrutopia, on Facebook and Instagram.

DONATE

There are a few ways to donate to support Misty. No contribution is ever too small. Every little bit adds up. Misty is grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity. 😻

PayPal is the best way to donate towards Misty's care. Want to make a recurring, monthly donation? Click here. 😻

Donate on Facebook.

SEND A PERSONAL CHECK

If you prefer to mail a personal check, our mailing address is:

TNR Utopia Inc.

PO Box 604258 Bayside, NY 11360

No contribution is ever too small. Every little bit adds up. Misty is grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity.

ABOUT DONATION RECEIPTS

PAYPAL AND FACEBOOK DONATIONS

If you have made a monetary donation via PayPal or Facebook, your email confirmation of the donation is your receipt and includes all of the information you need about our non-profit organization.

CASH, CHECK and VENMO

If you made a monetary donation via cash, check, Venmo or any other method not yet listed please complete this quick form to request a receipt of your donation. Receipts are generated in January, after the fiscal year is over. If you would like a receipt sooner please complete the form and email donate@tnrutopia.org with your request.

Request for Donation Receipt - https://goo.gl/forms/XWVeGbA3kZYxvfzG3

NYS Required Disclosure - organized registered to solicit in NYS

A copy of our latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, either from our organization, www.tnrutopia.org/stats or the NYS Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty St, New York, NY 10005.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, any donations made to TNR UTOPIA INC are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our rescue does not receive any local, state, or government funding. We rely solely on donations in order to feed, shelter, and provide medical care to the cats and kittens we work with. Thank you for your generosity and support!