For the Love of Ivy
>> Friday, July 8, 2011
This is Ivy. I named her myself. Ivy deserved a name. She showed up at the barn where I board my horses in early spring. Someone probably dumped her there. Ivy wasn't like the other barn cats. She was sweet, gentle, and friendly. From the very beginning it was clear that Ivy liked people more than hunting. Her loud purring resonated around the horse-filled stalls. By late spring it was obvious that Ivy was pregnant. A kitten having kittens, I thought to myself. Ivy isn't more than eight months old herself. As sad as I was I turned a blind eye. I already have three dogs and as most of you know, we kept our last foster...an 18-month-old-145 pound Newfoundland.
About a week ago, Ivy disappeared. Everyone assumed she had gone off to have her kittens somewhere. We were wrong. She returned still pregnant and dragging her right back leg behind her.
I couldn't leave her at the barn. I just couldn't. I took Ivy home with me and put her in a large crate in my office. My husband wasn't happy and neither were my three dogs. On Tuesday I took Ivy to my vet, Dr. Kelli French. She took x-rays and came back with the bad news. "Ivy's femur is so badly broken she is going to need to have her leg amputated," Dr. French told me. I asked if there were other options and Dr. French told me yes, but surgery to put in pins and plates would cost thousands of dollars. "Cats do very 
well on three legs," she told me.
Dr. French sent me home with Ivy. "Let her have her kittens. In five weeks, we'll take off her leg and she'll be able to walk and stand so much better." I took Ivy home.
Normally I can handle my rescues on my own. This time I can't. I need help. The surgery to amputate Ivy's leg is going to cost around $800 dollars. Dr. French has set up a fund at Beechwold Vet Hospital for Ivy. If you can help me, please send a check to Beechwold Vet Hospital, C/O Dr. Kelli French 4590 Indianola Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43214. Put "For Ivy Mader's surgery" in the memo line. Ivy and I will be eternally grateful. Also, if you could share this post through a link on your blog that would help too. Animal people help animal people.
Ivy delivered her four beautiful kittens on Tuesday night - shattered femur and all. When Ivy is well and her kittens are weaned I'll find wonderful homes for all of them. For now, that's the least of my problems.
