Sidecar

A kitten with one very troubled tummy.

A person holding a gray tabby kitten with green eyes and a black collar, indoors with light-colored walls and framed pictures in the background.

Sidecar was abandoned in a box outside of a local grocery store where he was brought to a local shelter and ran out of options very quickly. It was clear that he had an issue with his tummy which was later discovered that he was missing an entire portion of his abdominal wall. He was luckier than most though because cases like his rarely see the light of day. Sidecar caught our attention and joined the club to get the chance to live a normal kitty life.

Something compelling here that gets people wanting to read more

The Path Forward

We quickly stepped into action and began coordinating our efforts to a treatment plan that made sense for him. And for him, that looked like a lot of restricted movements and enrichment that didn’t quite look the same as many others. Sidecar went on kangaroo pouch hangouts which meant being attached to his foster for all the shenanigans while we searched for his answers and treatment plan.

We learned that his condition was congenital, that his soft-tissue was too thin for the desired repair option, and that was about it. Sidecar’s state wasn’t something you could’ve learned from a textbook. It was learned by our phenomenal team that took the extra steps to make sure that he got the care he needed.

A person holding a small gray tabby kitten by its front legs in a veterinary or medical setting.
Close-up of a kitten with a swollen, pink belly.

The Surgery

After weeks of planning, care and talking to soft-tissue specialists and multiple veterinarians, our answer was clear. He needed a mesh implant to live a normal kitty life. Of course, that’s what he got.

So with our heads held high and his little belly needing that solution, we got him into surgery to give him exactly what he needed.

A gray tabby kitten wearing a plastic cone around its neck, lying in a pet carrier, being gently held by a person.

Specialty surgeries like the one Sidecar needed are costly and we’re grateful for everyone that contributed to his care. Especially Pete’s Irish Chanel, our local cat bar, who hosted a donation night to help raise the funds for his surgery.

I feel like something is needed here

A gray tabby kitten lying on its side in a blue and white star-patterned pet bed, looking up and wearing a striped shirt.
A gray tabby kitten with green eyes wearing a light blue striped shirt, being gently touched under the chin by a person's hand, inside a pet stroller.
A tabby kitten lying on a soft blanket inside a pet carrier, chewing on a tag attached to a white shirt.

The Recovery

After surgery recovery is never an easy feat, but you add in that he’s the sweetest kitten and we now have a whole new set of things to prepare for. Sidecar wanted nothing more to cuddle and play, but proper recovery is what he needed to blossom into a healthy boy. He got on his onesey to keep from infecting the incision site and was put on a strict kennel rest where movement was limited but still made sure to get all the kitten snuggles and cuddles possible.

A gray kitten with closed eyes, resting its head on a person's hand, emerging from a black pet carrier with a zipped opening.
A person with colorful tattoos on their arm is holding a gray tabby cat in a clinical setting, with framed certificates on the wall in the background.
Adoptable gray tabby cat lying on a white bed looking at the camera with green eyes, with window blinds in the background.
Adoptable bonded pair of cats resting on a bed in a bright bedroom with white walls and windows with blinds.

Now & Forever

Because of his lifesaving surgery and the community that supported him, he is able to do his favorite things and put his history behind him. His team is so proud to say that Sidecar gets to spend his days as a normal kitty cat: strolling, getting his daily brushes, and hanging out with his absolute best friend in the whole wide world, Patch. We are incredibly lucky to have gotten to know and love this oversized, handsome, chaotic lover boy.

Thank you to everyone who has followed and supported his journey, kitties like him know the life they deserve because of people like you.

Adoptable gray tabby cat lying on a bed with colorful paisley-patterned pillows, playing with a person's arm. There is a TV remote and a blue book on the bed. The room has a blue couch, a white nightstand, and a cat tree near a window with blinds.
Adoptable gray tabby cat lying on a person's lap, looking content and relaxed, with a background of a cluttered desk and a window with light coming in.