Featured Pet: Pumpkin

Pumpkin was first found in a feral cat colony and desperately needed vet care for a few dental issues. Getting treated at the vet hospital, Pumpkin was very sweet, kind, and friendly towards people. We were able to step in and give Pumpkin a room at the Sanctuary to help her adjust to home life and find a home of her very own! While bring treated, Pumpkin did test positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Though FIV does compromise the immune system, cats with FIV can still live healthy, complete lives with normal life expectancies.

Knowing that Pumpkin had lived amongst cats before, we figured she’d be able to socialize with a few of the cats at the Sanctuary. Yet, she wasn’t very comfortable with her cat neighbors and we realized she was much happier with having a room to herself. She absolutely loved all her new human friends and soaked up every bit of attention from them! She would even begin to purr the moment she claimed your lap! She settled into her new environment so well and given her adorable personality and clean bill of health, it was time for precious Pumpkin to find a home!

During our search for her perfect match, staff noticed a small growth on Pumpkin’s nose. After immediate evaluation and a biopsy at the vet, it was discovered the growth was malignant and Pumpkin had a nasal carcinoma. With her future unknown, we sadly had to stop our search for a home for Pumpkin and instead give her the support to start this journey of battling cancer. Pumpkin was then seen by a specialist to explore her options and thankfully the type of cancer she had was localized and had a low rate of spreading to other locations. During the biopsy, they did remove a good amount of the tumor, therefore the specialist then recommended radiation therapy to complete treatment. It was a rough road for our sweet girl, but after weeks of treatments and vet appointments, Pumpkin stayed strong and never gave up! After almost a whole year since treatment, we are very happy to announce that Pumpkin is 100% cancer free!

Given the invasive radiation treatment, Pumpkin does have some fur loss around her nose and some sinus congestion. To help, she has a humidifier in her room to help moisten the dry air, especially in the winter. Her fur is also growing back little by little! Still, she’s the same sweet, lovely Pumpkin that we met when she first arrived to the Sanctuary. She sits quietly with her friends, purring happily, enjoying the company. She loves looking out her window, watching the day go by and relaxing in the sunlight.  Pumpkin would love a quiet, calm home with someone she can call her very own! This easygoing, 12 year old girl would appreciate being the only pumpkin in the patch to receive all the love and attention! Pumpkin just wants to be your precious, perfect companion! To learn more about Pumpkin, please contact our Helpline at 860-242-9999 or email [email protected].