Jewel

My story

When Jewel’s owner passed away, a friend of Jewel’s owner took her in. In the few weeks the friend had her, Jewel wasn’t using the litter box, so the friend brought her to Hamilton Animal Services. The friend did not give much information about Jewel, other than she was 11 years old and spayed. We wanted to give this sweet, purry persian a chance, so we took her into our care and she went straight to the vet for a health check, and much needed dental surgery. Blood and urine tests came back normal, but xrays showed that Jewel was suffering from arthritis. This was likely the cause of her litter box issues. She was started on pain medication to help her feel more comfortable. It was also noted that Jewel has a slight head tilt and a bit of a wobble when she walks. It doesn’t seem to trouble her, but she was put on medication to see if it would help. Jewel has been using her litter box perfectly since she came into our care. Her foster family provided her with a litter box made from a rubbermaid bin with the front wall cut down so she can walk right in. That, and the injectable pain meds for her arthritis seem to have done the trick! Jewel’s forever home should speak to their vet about continuing the injectable medication for arthritis so she can continue to live pain free. Though Jewel is less wobbly on her feet now, she still has moderate balance issues and doesn’t like to be up off the ground. To keep her safe, she’ll need a home where there are not a lot of stairs. Keeping her food and water on the floor as opposed to on a table would be best for her. A tray under her food helps to keep things a bit cleaner, as she can be a messy eater. She has a bowl of dry food to graze on whenever she likes, and she gets canned food every morning that she devours. She really likes canned food! A small ulcer on Jewel’s lip was biopsied, and it turned out to be an eosinophilic granuloma. The exact cause of EG is unknown, but research suggests that it is a form of allergic response. We don’t know what caused Jewel’s case, but the ulcer is now gone and she hasn’t had any reoccurrence. Jewel is a sweetheart of a cat. She loves to be petted and has a very happy purr. If you aren’t petting her enough, she will reach out and tap you to remind you. It’s the cutest thing! She isn’t thrilled about being picked up, and she prefers to sit beside you for pets as opposed to on your lap. She can be vocal when she wants attention. She likes to play with her mouse toy and will chase the string on a wand toy. She has a couple of favourite beds that her foster family would be happy to pass along to her new home – as well as her modified litter box. She is currently using Fresh 4 Life Pellet litter. Though she does like to be brushed, Jewel’s fur can quickly become matted and tangled, so hew new people will need to keep up with frequent brushing, and professional grooming when required. Other cats are not Jewel’s thing, so a home without them would be best. She has not been around dogs since coming into our care, so we don’t know how she would be with them. A quiet home where she can live out her days in peace and where she can get lots of pets would be ideal. Please adopt Jewel! Visit ladybirdanimalsanctuary.com to apply

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Jewel, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.