It was a cold, winter day in late January when we received a call about a stray cat. He showed up on the doorstep of a Good Samaritan and begged to be let in out of the cold.

The family took him in and kept him for a week while they posted flyers and went door to door looking for his home. Unfortunately, they were not able to locate his owner. They wanted to keep him but one of their daughters turned out to be allergic so they contacted the shelter and asked if we could help.

He was so big, that we gave him the name Big Tom. Because he was a stray, we had no idea of his age or health, so we had one of our vets do a complete exam including a blood and urine work up. Tom was estimated to be around 10 years old and badly in need of a dental. The more troubling news was that during the exam, the vet found a significant heart murmur. Big Tom needed to see a cardiologist about his heart before he could undergo anesthesia for his teeth, so we found him a foster home to wait for his appointment with the cardiologist.

Once he had his echocardiogram, it was determined that Big Tom has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but without knowing any medical history, it cannot be determined how quickly the disease will or will not advance. The cardiologist cleared Big Tom for his dental provided he was on antibiotics for 5 days before the procedure.

Before we could get the appointment scheduled, Big Tom developed an upper respiratory infection. He was given 2 weeks of medication and just when he was well, he began having litter box accidents, so he went back to the vet again. 

This time we were dealt a big blow. Big Tom was diagnosed with diabetes. His diet was changed to one that is good for cats with diabetes in the hope that he would not require insulin. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Big Tom does require insulin and is currently still in the process of getting his glucose levels stabilized. Once he is stable, he can begin the antibiotics and then have his much-needed dental surgery.

As you can imagine, all these treatments are costly, but the shelter never turns its back on animal in need. WSHS has a proven history of treating and caring for sick and injured animals that many other shelters are unable to. These animals have no one except us to advocate for them. With your support, we can continue this mission and help other animals in need that make their way to our doors.

Once Big Tom’s glucose levels are stabilized and he has his dental, he will be available for adoption. We know it is going to take a special person to adopt a cat with ongoing medical issues, but Big Tom is worth it. He is a sweet, laid back guy that deserves to find a loving home of his own.

From Big Tom and the staff and volunteers of West Suburban Humane Society, we humbly thank you for considering a donation. Your donation can and does save lives!