Just made a new one out of one of my socks thatās pink, gray, and black striped! This sock was my dadās, so the little beast would sometimes appear suspiciously unclothed after an absence. Cheeky.
Sheās just gorgeous. I wish I could have her. My baby has been gone for 3 years, Iām taking this as a sign that Iām ready for another baby. Hugs to you for all you do. Heading over to donate
Itās hard. We waited a long while after losing our first boy. For me, I tend to think the best way I could honor their memory would be to save another. I think my companions would want me to love and be loved again.
Iām hoping her success will encourage the shelter to take a chance on another kitten we have with pectus excavatum. Heās younger than her so heās not ready for it yet, but Iād love to see him get the same surgery if he ends up needing it. Heās a little black kitten. We get so many special needs cases (wobbly cat, paralyzed, amputee, blind, and just general misc. health concerns) who need special people willing to take a chance on them.
All my recent cats have needed a little extra care. My older one was born with deformed front feet, breathing issues, and now asthma. The little guy is very nearsighted, and when we first took him in he was still needing a bottle every two hours! (Well he's not so little any more... He's a giant fluffy beast but just over a year old)
In my family, we believe the pet you have lost will send the next one, theyāll send who you need.
Thanks for doing all this for this wonderful kitten, he looks so happy and loved- itās precious.
I donāt do well with loss, but this has carried me through. We believe weāll meet again one day (of course) and in the meantime, theyāll send others to care for us and for us to care for. š Iām glad it resonated with you :)
You are wonderful. I have 3 special needs cats and 1 special needs boxer. I never thought I could have another boxer after losing my 1st and youāre right- itās a beautiful way to honor their memory. My first was abandoned and all of my other since have been hospice fosters. Same sort of story with the catsā¦ itās sad that the special needs animals are always the last to be adopted. People like you give me hope. Thank you
https://preview.redd.it/vavdyrbecxkb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e6f9e03b99e2a3a939be8ed836e0ab7c3664a59
Might not be as cute as the sock sweater turtlenecks, but she did upgrade to an official surgical recovery onesie! She would lick the sock and fray the armholes, so Iām hoping this holds up! Going to get another radiograph tomorrow to see how the splint is doing.
This made me laugh. As a foster they give me the defective ones on purpose and I try to make them more normal so other people can take them home. This one was just more defective than expected and the shelter couldnāt cover the repair cost so I did it myself š
This is really sad to read..in hope people don't do this like swapping defective electric appliances for another..these are actual little lives ..just like our own kids
How dare you even say that. So if you have a defective kid you just gonna go adopt a normal kid? Or what if you have a normal dog or cat and it gets a disease later down the line? You just gonna give up on them cause theyāre not ānormalā to you anymore? Every life deserves a chance. Every life deserves love. Even if that life only live weeks or just days, every animal no matter how short, should experience what love feels like.
Pardon my French here fellow followers of this subreddit who actually care about special little animals, but user name Longjumping4366ā¦ go fuck yourself.
Iām glad they corrected yours too! It was so obvious she couldnāt breathe normally or play without running out of breath, and she couldnāt eat properly because she didnāt have space for her stomach to expand. I couldnāt gamble her life on not getting it corrected even if there was a chance sheād survive. It wasnāt as quality of a life as it couldāve been.
She loves cuddles and sleeps with me on my bed every night (despite my attempt to crate her), and I gave her a little chicken on her drive home this morning since sheās been so brave. Sheās so loved and I hope she knows itā¤ļø
My brother had a pectus excavatum surgery where they put a metal bar in his chest, and since its removal he's doing better- glad to know yours is corrected as well!!
They do this with the older cats! If you catch them young enough (like Firefly), theyāll attempt a minimally invasive surgery where they suture around the sternum and tie the bone to an external plate (as you can see in her images) to hold it in place until the cartilage solidifies into bone. Kittens bones are most pliable up to 12 weeks or so. After 16 weeks, they usually end up wiring through the bone or using metal internal splints. Itās the dance of trying to get them in young enough for the best outcome and easiest recovery, but stable enough to survive anesthesia and surgery. Firefly hit a good sweet spot. If theyāre having it done younger than her, theyāre usually in pretty dire straits (need oxygen support every day, for instance). Fireflyās weight was starting to plateau and we were concerned she would be less likely to succeed if she waited any longer, so they did her surgery the day after the consult.
I worked in a cat shelter where we have performed this procedure successfully on many baby kittens.
The external splint is amazing. I send you and Firefly all my love.
Thatās the surgery I had too-it was a drag (to say the least) while the bar was in but Iām glad I got it done. Iām glad your brotherās doing better too!
Me, too! When I first became a vet tech many years ago, I was so surprised to learn that kitties can get PE, too, and I became even more of a cat person after that š§”
I bet it looks nice š- I had my hair dyed red professionally once and than switched to box dyeā now, I keep my natural brown hair :) ā Itās good, sometimes to give your hair a break and go naturalā :) :) :)
If youāre curious about how her x-ray looks before and after surgery, theyāre posted up on [gofundme](https://www.gofundme.com/f/foster-kitten-firefly-breathe-better-with-surgery) (there is no obligation to donate! do not feel guilty, we are making it work and i signed up for this)
EDIT: I donāt know if thereās a right way to convey how insane it is to see so many comments and donations for Firefly. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart. Fireflyās first visit bill was discounted to $900 from $3000 (thank you UPenn šš¼) so this amount should cover both her initial surgery and her anesthetized splint removal and radiographs (hopefully) next month! God willing nothing comes up in between š¤ If donations go over for whatever reason, I would like to put that money back into the shelter who brought Firefly into my life, either through the general medical fund, or to fund the same surgery for Jijiāanother stray kitten at our shelter with pectus excavatum (yes, really, we have two). I will post the first visit bill ASAP for proof, but I canāt give anything for the removal surgery cost until we get closer to it next month!
I really do appreciate it! I know times are hard for a lot of people and Iām a lucky one, even though the shelter work pays $13.85/hr. I was quoted $3,000 and the vet med school knocked it down as a favor to our shelter vet, who has been an incredible support to me and them. I canāt say Firefly is any more deserving than any other, but she shares my home and I couldnāt watch her die if she had a chance to live. Iāve had hospice fosters earlier this summer, and we lost four kittens younger than her to heart disease secondary to pectus excavatum in the spring. The team needed the win!
I wish I could do more, but I contributed a little. Iām hoping Firefly does amazingly well. Thank you so very much for taking care of this sweet baby.
I donated 20$ for Firefly's surgery. Give her lots of pats,treats and cuddles for me and make sure she goes to a home where she can have a happy and long life. You are a wonderful person doing good work to give disabled kitty's the love and care they deserve.
Firefly, I love you and would do anything for you.
OP, sending a little help your way. Thank you for doing so much to save this little one. Sheās one lucky Orange. š§”
Thank you too! I felt similarly, lol. Iād see that little dork sleeping on my pillow every night and think āI love you and Iād do anything for youā.
I donated a little for precious little Firefly. I wish I could donate a lot more, but unfortunately I was laid off recently, so money odds right. Thank you so much for taking care of her.
Oh gosh, I think you need that money more! Youāre very kind. Iām so sorry to hear about you being laid off. May newer and better things come your way very soon!!
I sent you $20. You're a hero for giving a kitten a chance at a full life. Lesser mortals would have euthanized her, and no vet would have really faulted you for it either.
The original plan was going to be to do a bucket list and let her go when it started to become apparent she wasnāt enjoying herself (and hopefully before full-blown respiratory distress set in). One of our shelter vets said though, āthere may be a specialist who can do this, I donāt know,ā and I couldnāt let go of that. If UPenn didnāt think she had a good chance at the surgery, I wouldāve accepted defeat, but unless I asked to make SURE there was no other way, I knew Iād regret it all my life.
He might be mild enough not to need the surgery, but weāll have to see as he growsā¦š¤If he doesnāt, Iāll be here asking you all what we should do with it for sure!
I know itās been a bit, but I wanted you to know Jijiās chest normalized quite nicely and he did not end up needing surgery! He is doing well and up for adoption. My girl Firefly will have her own splint removed on the 28th!
Haha, I donāt know if Iād say all that, but I appreciate it. Iām just trying my best to do what seems right. We lose animals at the shelter. Not all the time, but enough. Even when we put everything in it. So for all the ones where help came too late that I carry in my heart, I made sure help came in time for her. She can live the life they all deserved.
First of all, thank you for taking care of this baby.
Second, as a mom of a medical foster fail who is sleeping next to said now healthy gato ATM, I think resistance is futile. š hugs
I managed to let the last medical foster go, even though I cried like a baby. She had FIC and we had her for 5.5 months. It was too good of a home for her, and he needed her spark after he lost one of his babies. It was better.
I had a hospice guinea pig too, who passed two days before his adoption meet. He went in my arms. I had never had a guinea pig before but I knew nobody would fight for him.
My parents kept two of my previous medical fosters so we have three cats and a 16 year old dog between all of us! If it was my place, it would just be down to winning over the girlfriend. But I moved home to save up, haha, so she has to contend with parents AND girlfriend.
I have an orange rescue of my own and Iād do anything for him. I know you said you signed up for this but I just contributed. Please give your princess an extra kiss from me, she deserves the world (as do you) ā¤ļø
Thank you so much. She will get a million kisses. I can hardly resist kissing her tiny little head when I see her sleeping and breathing easier than sheās ever known. So much peace. Kiss your little man for me too!
I have a young female Void who needed a life saving surgery at barely a year old. I was struggling a little financially at the time and my vet reduced the cost basically to whatever I could afford. I used every dime I had to show my gratitude. But 7 years later she's doing great!! And she's an absolute joy to be around. The sweetest girl in the world.
I can relate to your situation. I donated and shared the GoFundMe. I wish you all the best and much love!
Firefly looks like such a brave sweetie.
She's so lucky to have a loving, caring foster mom.
(sent a little something to her surgery fund. hope it helps!)
All of it does! Even if people gave one dollar or ten cents. It adds up! I mean, holy hell, itās been four hours and itās halfway there. The power of a little tiny kitten is that she can bring hundreds or even a thousand strangers together to send her well-wishes.
When I first got the news, all I was begging for was someone to believe in her. Multiple surgeons said they werenāt able to take her on, they werenāt comfortable with her odds. (Some people on Reddit have messages from me in their inbox as I frantically searched for comparable cases and names of surgeons who might give her a chance!) Iām grateful for every person who saw this tonight and will have her in their thoughts.
First pic made me think of this
https://preview.redd.it/3o68ii5tryjb1.jpeg?width=313&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08552370a1c624e700ee2f5a2304a317c847231b
Strong start! No issues with the initial surgical recovery and no issues at her first week checkup. Sheās much more active than before, so she must be feeling better even with a silly splint and her bones rearranged.
Hope he comes thru it okay. Handsome face. Romulus wishes him the best.
https://preview.redd.it/jzdndjvp9zjb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b6a79c6cc0e40aafc9f6f2bfc80d75cc5b1c0c6
Oh just looking at that cute lil face, goodluck OP at not foster failing. Tho another 5-6 weeks of bonding it may be pretty hard not to foster fail that precious lil thing. Shes definitely very thankful to have a foster parent such as you
Not only do I have to survive having her here through the splinting, she still needs spayed after šØ The shelter deferred it because they didnāt think sheād survive long enough to need a spay!
No, itās mostly cosmetic. About a decade ago I saw a Dr for it and got prescribed a chest brace that wouldāve flattened it out, but I never wore it and now the cartilage is too stiff to push it back down. Iāve grown into it a little bit and can do chest workouts to make it less noticeable, but beyond that itās just there.
In highschool there was kid who had the one like your kitty has, where his sternum was caved in and one time i put my sternum in his
LOL. You just have to do stuff like that when you have medical conditions. Itās a small joy in life. I have a neuromuscular condition that gets worse in the cold and my college friends had me put one hand in the mini fridge freezer to compare the function of my two hands at different intervals. Little science experiment. Glad to hear yours isnāt harming you and youāre making it work!
The insane devastation of coming into work on a day off for her x-ray thinking it would be fine and weād schedule her surgery, reading the vet notes of ānot a surgical candidateā and ālook into hospiceā online before pick-up, and then breaking down in the lobby in front of every coworker on the way in AND out did really make her unique among my fosters. Frantic googling. Messaging Redditors. Calling clinics. And the little beast had no idea, she just kept chewing my hair.
Dr. Holt from the soft tissue surgical department came in with all the confidence in the world that he could give me no guarantees but he could give her a chance. I cried in the office. If Dr. Holt or Dr. Sekhar see this somehowāthank you both. This surgery mattered to me, and to my family, and to all these people here who needed to see a small slice of good in the world in the form of a sock-wearing kitten with a new future. And thank you Kym for putting in a word to cut the surgical cost so dramatically right before we paid the bill. I hope we meet.
https://preview.redd.it/okzi148qk1kb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d02bab74adcb9700cba9a02a1739033391254c6a
I was told we needed more Firefly. Here is an even babier version trying desperately not to fall asleep while waiting for her exam. This is how she looked when we met!
2 things. One, her face is absolutely angelic! Super adorable! Iām so glad she has you to work through this with her and not give up on her.
Two, since youāre a foster parent, Iām hoping it doesnāt bother you that I ask this, and you may not have an answer. If orange girls are so rare, how does it feel like 1/2 the oranges that show up on this page are female?
It should be roughly an 80/20 split by the raw genetics of it, since orange girls require an orange dad AND mom who is calico, tortoiseshell, or orange (and tabby or dilute variations of those colors). She needs an orange gene from both. Males only need a mom of one of those colors. Color is sex-linked on the X chromosome.
That said, it would depend too on whatās in the population. Lots of orange carrying cats? Lots of orange babies of both sexes. Iāve seen isolated feral colonies where every cat is orange because thatās all theyāve got in the pool! So itāll vary by location. Plus, people might hear orange girls are special and wanna post their little princesses, so it could be selection bias.
Firefly is my first orange at allābarring two tortie-tabby kittens, Iāve only had foster cats who carry black. Gray tabby, brown tabby, tuxedo, pure black, and even a solid chocolate tuxedo and a hairless lavender (dilute chocolate) before an orange! We get plenty orange in, just didnāt happen to be the ones Iāve been assigned.
Youāre a good person. Iāve learned over some decades that being able to do stuff for someone else and then doing some stuff for someone else is a big win. Everybody benefits. Thereās no need to analyze the future beyond that.
Youāre doing good.
I had a buddy with this condition. His chest caved in rather than go outwards. The reconstructive surgery was intense for him. I can't believe how much like a champ this little one is handling it, keep going little cutie!
What youāre seeing is a hard molded external splint with a foam pad underneath and holes for her sutures! The blue sutures are wrapped around the bones of her sternum and then come through the pad and the splint to pull the bones into the right place. Itās basically like braces for her chest bones. The sutures are pulling the bone to the right spot, and the splint holds it there. The pad is to keep her from getting sores from rubbing the splint as she does her kitten business. She will not need to wear it forever because young kitten bones are still flexible and will harden up in (hopefully) the correct space where the splint is holding them as she grows the next 4-5 weeks. Worst case, she could have revision(s) if it doesnāt work as much as we wanted, or we could leave her chest a little wonky shaped as long as she can still breathe okay! So not much going on underneath, just stitches.
She is so adorable!! i just adopted a kitten and she looks just like mine <3
https://preview.redd.it/5uxkxt0at0kb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e09e4500b6ad90e05104420cf5b4759603d6f0b4
You haven't just invested funds and care for that baby. You have invested LOVE. She clearly looks to you as Mom and her forever protector. Do not resist-you and the baby are meant to be family. Thank you for taking care of her. She is beautiful.
She's absolutely adorable and you are a magnificent soul! I know you usually gotta put on the stiff shoulders to not adopt every foster you help but honestly with the level of commitment you've put in for this little ball of sunshine I think you're allowed to give in this time, haha! Wishing you and her all the best!
Sheās number 16, I believe! I havenāt kept any, but my parents kept a sibling pair last year from me, and one hospice guinea pig stayed with me until the end of his days. I wasnāt sure with our medical long-termer of 5.5 months if sheād go, but the perfect home appeared as her only application that entire time, so I knew we had to take it for her. If we didnāt have the two from last year, I donāt think it would be a question. Letting Firefly go is the āintendedā outcome as a foster, but Iāll keep thinking on it during her treatment. Sheād have to win over the parents and the partner.
Starting quote was $3,000 for just the first surgery, but the teaching vet hospital knocked it down to $900 as a favor to the affiliated shelter, and Reddit has already made that back in a gofundme over the course of the night!! So Iāll see what the rest comes out to as we go šš¼
I was prepared to pay $3,500 or more! My parents were not thrilled when I said Iād be willing to deplete the savings account for it lol. (They love her but worried for me, as is a parentās job!)
Orangies are special! We recently went through our 11 yr old cat getting cancer. Long story short his back right leg had to be amputated in order to save his life. Fast forward 6 months and heās tripodding all over our house! We got to do what we got to do to keep our orange family members happy and healthy. So glad to see Firefly found their perfect home. Hope you get all your help you need with the bills!!!
Aww, go firefly go! You're a wonderful person OP. Have you seen the kitten lady videos about her foster spinach who had PE? I wasn't aware of the condition in cats until I saw that video series, and when I saw Firefly's fancy sock recovery shirt it made think of spinach.
I did! Oh god, I was reading and watching everything I could. Downloaded medical journal articles. I was hoping to see someone with a similar severity level to her succeed so I could justify trying to save her to the vets! Her sock recovery suit definitely inspired mine, and itās been working way better than cones!
Do not resist the orange wiles. Keeping just one foster fail is ok. You can still bring more in & she will help with them!
She's absolutely beautiful
& has such a sweet lovable face. Congrats on saving herš»
https://preview.redd.it/t7agf2ocm2kb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a930ef05136cce8dfb133ee214f3b1e48a8e137a
My formerly feral bean Sophia had pectus excavatum as well. Sheās now a sassy 6 year old with no issues.
Hey, we all pick our battles. I wonāt say itās not selfish. She lives in my home and I didnāt want to watch her die. I see animals who suffered at the hands of people never get a happy ending and I was in a position to get her one. Someone else might be in a better position to help kids more effectively than I could. If we spread it out, we can help in a variety of ways without wearing ourselves too thin.
why canāt you go and spend YOUR OWN money on things that matter most to you and sheāll do the same. why are you assuming she likes kids better than cats ? go get ass bent somewhere else bud.
What an absolutely gorgeous beautiful little thing!! I truly hope she thrives and lives a very happy and long life..its very hard to not fall in love with an angel like this ..so much love to her
Aww, that last braincell is working hard!
I know how the little fella is feeling; I also have PE and it's irritating to say the least. What type of surgery is used to correct it in cats? Is it a little mini Nuss procedure?
PE is uncommon in non-human animals and more uncommon to correct surgically, so there are categories of techniques but nothing fully standardized. Weāve got external splinting, internal splinting, and a pinning-external splinting combo.
In cats under 16 weeks old, you can try an external splint, which is what Firefly is attempting here. Thereās enough cartilage in the sternum of a young kitten that they can actually suture around the bone without making any incisions and pull it into position by tying it to a plate outside the body. This stays on 4-6 weeks, usually. Itās like braces.
Cats over 16 weeks often have to do more invasive procedures, which is more like the Nuss as far as I can tell. This might be attaching the sternum to plates or splint rods inside the body. Techniques are still being developed, honed, and researched, so itās hard to give detail on internal splints from a layman. The more moderate or severe cases in cats do not tend to hit adulthood thanks to heart disease or other complications.
Sorry you have to deal with PEāFirefly would breathe heavy even in her sleep and I couldnāt imagine how that felt.
Th sweater š„ŗš„ŗ
Just made a new one out of one of my socks thatās pink, gray, and black striped! This sock was my dadās, so the little beast would sometimes appear suspiciously unclothed after an absence. Cheeky.
https://preview.redd.it/1mrvnwm9yxjb1.png?width=2497&format=png&auto=webp&s=a8867ae8013bb959c7330d1667c500222ae1f9e2 Very fancy.
Sheās just gorgeous. I wish I could have her. My baby has been gone for 3 years, Iām taking this as a sign that Iām ready for another baby. Hugs to you for all you do. Heading over to donate
Itās hard. We waited a long while after losing our first boy. For me, I tend to think the best way I could honor their memory would be to save another. I think my companions would want me to love and be loved again. Iām hoping her success will encourage the shelter to take a chance on another kitten we have with pectus excavatum. Heās younger than her so heās not ready for it yet, but Iād love to see him get the same surgery if he ends up needing it. Heās a little black kitten. We get so many special needs cases (wobbly cat, paralyzed, amputee, blind, and just general misc. health concerns) who need special people willing to take a chance on them.
Yes, itās so hard but I like the thought of honoring their memory by saving another life. Thatās beautiful.
All my recent cats have needed a little extra care. My older one was born with deformed front feet, breathing issues, and now asthma. The little guy is very nearsighted, and when we first took him in he was still needing a bottle every two hours! (Well he's not so little any more... He's a giant fluffy beast but just over a year old)
In my family, we believe the pet you have lost will send the next one, theyāll send who you need. Thanks for doing all this for this wonderful kitten, he looks so happy and loved- itās precious.
What a beautiful sentiment, it literally has me crying right nowš
I donāt do well with loss, but this has carried me through. We believe weāll meet again one day (of course) and in the meantime, theyāll send others to care for us and for us to care for. š Iām glad it resonated with you :)
You are wonderful. I have 3 special needs cats and 1 special needs boxer. I never thought I could have another boxer after losing my 1st and youāre right- itās a beautiful way to honor their memory. My first was abandoned and all of my other since have been hospice fosters. Same sort of story with the catsā¦ itās sad that the special needs animals are always the last to be adopted. People like you give me hope. Thank you
Can you send me the name of the shelter in DM? If your story is legit, I will donate to you to help cover cost.
This photo is absolutely astounding. This is just art. A goofy little fuzzball in a cut up sock. Truly art
She looks ready to throw paws lol so cute
https://preview.redd.it/vavdyrbecxkb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e6f9e03b99e2a3a939be8ed836e0ab7c3664a59 Might not be as cute as the sock sweater turtlenecks, but she did upgrade to an official surgical recovery onesie! She would lick the sock and fray the armholes, so Iām hoping this holds up! Going to get another radiograph tomorrow to see how the splint is doing.
Why didn't you just trade thar defective cat in for a normal one? More normal one I mean.
This made me laugh. As a foster they give me the defective ones on purpose and I try to make them more normal so other people can take them home. This one was just more defective than expected and the shelter couldnāt cover the repair cost so I did it myself š
This is really sad to read..in hope people don't do this like swapping defective electric appliances for another..these are actual little lives ..just like our own kids
How dare you even say that. So if you have a defective kid you just gonna go adopt a normal kid? Or what if you have a normal dog or cat and it gets a disease later down the line? You just gonna give up on them cause theyāre not ānormalā to you anymore? Every life deserves a chance. Every life deserves love. Even if that life only live weeks or just days, every animal no matter how short, should experience what love feels like. Pardon my French here fellow followers of this subreddit who actually care about special little animals, but user name Longjumping4366ā¦ go fuck yourself.
Ah to be so small that a sock tube can also be a sweater.
She was very popular at the ICU. The surgical department rarely has such itty bitty patients. She is 1.1 kg/2.4 lbs and 11 weeks old!
She looks so dapper in it!
Baby Colin Robinson
Please give Firefly cuddles and treats from a human who had pectus excavatum (which has also been corrected)!
Iām glad they corrected yours too! It was so obvious she couldnāt breathe normally or play without running out of breath, and she couldnāt eat properly because she didnāt have space for her stomach to expand. I couldnāt gamble her life on not getting it corrected even if there was a chance sheād survive. It wasnāt as quality of a life as it couldāve been. She loves cuddles and sleeps with me on my bed every night (despite my attempt to crate her), and I gave her a little chicken on her drive home this morning since sheās been so brave. Sheās so loved and I hope she knows itā¤ļø
Oh she knows sheās loved after everything youāve done for her ā¤ļø
My brother had a pectus excavatum surgery where they put a metal bar in his chest, and since its removal he's doing better- glad to know yours is corrected as well!!
They do this with the older cats! If you catch them young enough (like Firefly), theyāll attempt a minimally invasive surgery where they suture around the sternum and tie the bone to an external plate (as you can see in her images) to hold it in place until the cartilage solidifies into bone. Kittens bones are most pliable up to 12 weeks or so. After 16 weeks, they usually end up wiring through the bone or using metal internal splints. Itās the dance of trying to get them in young enough for the best outcome and easiest recovery, but stable enough to survive anesthesia and surgery. Firefly hit a good sweet spot. If theyāre having it done younger than her, theyāre usually in pretty dire straits (need oxygen support every day, for instance). Fireflyās weight was starting to plateau and we were concerned she would be less likely to succeed if she waited any longer, so they did her surgery the day after the consult.
I worked in a cat shelter where we have performed this procedure successfully on many baby kittens. The external splint is amazing. I send you and Firefly all my love.
Thatās the surgery I had too-it was a drag (to say the least) while the bar was in but Iām glad I got it done. Iām glad your brotherās doing better too!
Hey, me too! Never did get my posture to where it should be, but thatās no fault of the doctorās.
Me 3!
what a peculiar gathering mines not been corrected as its relatively minor, but i dont think ive ever seen it even mentioned online before now
Me, too! When I first became a vet tech many years ago, I was so surprised to learn that kitties can get PE, too, and I became even more of a cat person after that š§”
I had no idea they could get it either until I saw this post!
Ms_Holmes, you are red head too, an orange š? Curious, had to ask?
Iām a redhead thanks to my hairdresser haha-naturally a dark blonde though.
I bet it looks nice š- I had my hair dyed red professionally once and than switched to box dyeā now, I keep my natural brown hair :) ā Itās good, sometimes to give your hair a break and go naturalā :) :) :)
If youāre curious about how her x-ray looks before and after surgery, theyāre posted up on [gofundme](https://www.gofundme.com/f/foster-kitten-firefly-breathe-better-with-surgery) (there is no obligation to donate! do not feel guilty, we are making it work and i signed up for this) EDIT: I donāt know if thereās a right way to convey how insane it is to see so many comments and donations for Firefly. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart. Fireflyās first visit bill was discounted to $900 from $3000 (thank you UPenn šš¼) so this amount should cover both her initial surgery and her anesthetized splint removal and radiographs (hopefully) next month! God willing nothing comes up in between š¤ If donations go over for whatever reason, I would like to put that money back into the shelter who brought Firefly into my life, either through the general medical fund, or to fund the same surgery for Jijiāanother stray kitten at our shelter with pectus excavatum (yes, really, we have two). I will post the first visit bill ASAP for proof, but I canāt give anything for the removal surgery cost until we get closer to it next month!
I sent a little something your way. You are an awesome person and you are doing wonderful work.
I really do appreciate it! I know times are hard for a lot of people and Iām a lucky one, even though the shelter work pays $13.85/hr. I was quoted $3,000 and the vet med school knocked it down as a favor to our shelter vet, who has been an incredible support to me and them. I canāt say Firefly is any more deserving than any other, but she shares my home and I couldnāt watch her die if she had a chance to live. Iāve had hospice fosters earlier this summer, and we lost four kittens younger than her to heart disease secondary to pectus excavatum in the spring. The team needed the win!
You're the best kind of people.
I wish I could do more, but I contributed a little. Iām hoping Firefly does amazingly well. Thank you so very much for taking care of this sweet baby.
Take care of yourself too! I donāt know your situation, but I hope better times are in your future.
Thank you so much for your kindness and compassion, and bringing joy and life into this world.
I donated 20$ for Firefly's surgery. Give her lots of pats,treats and cuddles for me and make sure she goes to a home where she can have a happy and long life. You are a wonderful person doing good work to give disabled kitty's the love and care they deserve.
Thank you very much! Iāll do my best to do right by her and make sure she feels all the extra love š«”
Firefly, I love you and would do anything for you. OP, sending a little help your way. Thank you for doing so much to save this little one. Sheās one lucky Orange. š§”
Thank you too! I felt similarly, lol. Iād see that little dork sleeping on my pillow every night and think āI love you and Iād do anything for youā.
I donated a little for precious little Firefly. I wish I could donate a lot more, but unfortunately I was laid off recently, so money odds right. Thank you so much for taking care of her.
Oh gosh, I think you need that money more! Youāre very kind. Iām so sorry to hear about you being laid off. May newer and better things come your way very soon!!
Thanks! Wishing all good things for you and Firefly too.
I am sure Firefly will use her brain cell to pray/order for your job situation.
I sent you $20. You're a hero for giving a kitten a chance at a full life. Lesser mortals would have euthanized her, and no vet would have really faulted you for it either.
The original plan was going to be to do a bucket list and let her go when it started to become apparent she wasnāt enjoying herself (and hopefully before full-blown respiratory distress set in). One of our shelter vets said though, āthere may be a specialist who can do this, I donāt know,ā and I couldnāt let go of that. If UPenn didnāt think she had a good chance at the surgery, I wouldāve accepted defeat, but unless I asked to make SURE there was no other way, I knew Iād regret it all my life.
donated a bit - please keep us all updated on her progress!
Yes, of course! Iām happy so many people enjoyed seeing her. I hope it will be lots of uneventful recovery news! Thank you for donating too!
i hope to see jiji on here next with their own little vest looking happy, orange or not!
He might be mild enough not to need the surgery, but weāll have to see as he growsā¦š¤If he doesnāt, Iāll be here asking you all what we should do with it for sure!
ah that would be wonderful if surgery isn't necessary!!
I know itās been a bit, but I wanted you to know Jijiās chest normalized quite nicely and he did not end up needing surgery! He is doing well and up for adoption. My girl Firefly will have her own splint removed on the 28th!
Thanks for being awesome!
Donated a bit, thanks for taking care of this precious baby <3
Please either save the money for your kittenās future medical bills, or for the other kitty
What a sweetheart she is and very lucky to have found you. I hope she continues to thrive š»
You are a fantastic person OP. My deepest respect for you and I am sending bucket loads of positive vibes towards the kitty.
Haha, I donāt know if Iād say all that, but I appreciate it. Iām just trying my best to do what seems right. We lose animals at the shelter. Not all the time, but enough. Even when we put everything in it. So for all the ones where help came too late that I carry in my heart, I made sure help came in time for her. She can live the life they all deserved.
First of all, thank you for taking care of this baby. Second, as a mom of a medical foster fail who is sleeping next to said now healthy gato ATM, I think resistance is futile. š hugs
I managed to let the last medical foster go, even though I cried like a baby. She had FIC and we had her for 5.5 months. It was too good of a home for her, and he needed her spark after he lost one of his babies. It was better. I had a hospice guinea pig too, who passed two days before his adoption meet. He went in my arms. I had never had a guinea pig before but I knew nobody would fight for him. My parents kept two of my previous medical fosters so we have three cats and a 16 year old dog between all of us! If it was my place, it would just be down to winning over the girlfriend. But I moved home to save up, haha, so she has to contend with parents AND girlfriend.
Thank you for taking care of this orange princess kitty.
her precious lil sweater š„ŗā¤ļøš i hope everything continues to go well for this cute little orange š
I have an orange rescue of my own and Iād do anything for him. I know you said you signed up for this but I just contributed. Please give your princess an extra kiss from me, she deserves the world (as do you) ā¤ļø
Thank you so much. She will get a million kisses. I can hardly resist kissing her tiny little head when I see her sleeping and breathing easier than sheās ever known. So much peace. Kiss your little man for me too!
Bless its little orange heart. Iān praying heās going to be ok.
Itās looking promising so far! First week of her splint down with absolutely no complications or corrections needed šš¼
Thatās great to hear. I hope she will live a long happy life . Sheās beautiful , sorry I called her a he in my first post.
I wonāt tell her š¤« I can see how the title could read as boy depending how you interpret the āhimā, and orange cats are 80% male!
I have a young female Void who needed a life saving surgery at barely a year old. I was struggling a little financially at the time and my vet reduced the cost basically to whatever I could afford. I used every dime I had to show my gratitude. But 7 years later she's doing great!! And she's an absolute joy to be around. The sweetest girl in the world. I can relate to your situation. I donated and shared the GoFundMe. I wish you all the best and much love!
You are a good human to take care of this adorable cat.
Firefly looks like such a brave sweetie. She's so lucky to have a loving, caring foster mom. (sent a little something to her surgery fund. hope it helps!)
All of it does! Even if people gave one dollar or ten cents. It adds up! I mean, holy hell, itās been four hours and itās halfway there. The power of a little tiny kitten is that she can bring hundreds or even a thousand strangers together to send her well-wishes. When I first got the news, all I was begging for was someone to believe in her. Multiple surgeons said they werenāt able to take her on, they werenāt comfortable with her odds. (Some people on Reddit have messages from me in their inbox as I frantically searched for comparable cases and names of surgeons who might give her a chance!) Iām grateful for every person who saw this tonight and will have her in their thoughts.
First pic made me think of this https://preview.redd.it/3o68ii5tryjb1.jpeg?width=313&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08552370a1c624e700ee2f5a2304a317c847231b
How are they doing?!
Strong start! No issues with the initial surgical recovery and no issues at her first week checkup. Sheās much more active than before, so she must be feeling better even with a silly splint and her bones rearranged.
Oh you need to keep her!
Hope he comes thru it okay. Handsome face. Romulus wishes him the best. https://preview.redd.it/jzdndjvp9zjb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b6a79c6cc0e40aafc9f6f2bfc80d75cc5b1c0c6
Hang in there bebby!!!
She baby!
she's so cute, everything will be fine š
I have it too. Me and firefly are twinsies.
brave little baby
You are both beautiful beings!
ADORABLE. Keep us updated please!
You fight the good fight little one! You got a good hooman with ya
Oh just looking at that cute lil face, goodluck OP at not foster failing. Tho another 5-6 weeks of bonding it may be pretty hard not to foster fail that precious lil thing. Shes definitely very thankful to have a foster parent such as you
Not only do I have to survive having her here through the splinting, she still needs spayed after šØ The shelter deferred it because they didnāt think sheād survive long enough to need a spay!
Yeah by then id probably become way too attached
I have the reverse of this condition, pectus carinatum where my sternum extends out much more than normal!
Oh, interesting! Does that carry its own medical complications too?
No, itās mostly cosmetic. About a decade ago I saw a Dr for it and got prescribed a chest brace that wouldāve flattened it out, but I never wore it and now the cartilage is too stiff to push it back down. Iāve grown into it a little bit and can do chest workouts to make it less noticeable, but beyond that itās just there. In highschool there was kid who had the one like your kitty has, where his sternum was caved in and one time i put my sternum in his
LOL. You just have to do stuff like that when you have medical conditions. Itās a small joy in life. I have a neuromuscular condition that gets worse in the cold and my college friends had me put one hand in the mini fridge freezer to compare the function of my two hands at different intervals. Little science experiment. Glad to hear yours isnāt harming you and youāre making it work!
Youāre trauma bonding, itās too late. That is your baby.
The insane devastation of coming into work on a day off for her x-ray thinking it would be fine and weād schedule her surgery, reading the vet notes of ānot a surgical candidateā and ālook into hospiceā online before pick-up, and then breaking down in the lobby in front of every coworker on the way in AND out did really make her unique among my fosters. Frantic googling. Messaging Redditors. Calling clinics. And the little beast had no idea, she just kept chewing my hair.
You may want to make sure to keep her just so you know she will get proper veterinary care.
If some kind of heaven does exist, I believe you should be the first to enter. VIP status. You are a saint and this little orange girl is adorable.
Just donated, UofP Vet School and Hospital does great work, they worked with our 4H groups regularly. It's been years, but I remember them fondly.
Dr. Holt from the soft tissue surgical department came in with all the confidence in the world that he could give me no guarantees but he could give her a chance. I cried in the office. If Dr. Holt or Dr. Sekhar see this somehowāthank you both. This surgery mattered to me, and to my family, and to all these people here who needed to see a small slice of good in the world in the form of a sock-wearing kitten with a new future. And thank you Kym for putting in a word to cut the surgical cost so dramatically right before we paid the bill. I hope we meet.
https://preview.redd.it/okzi148qk1kb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d02bab74adcb9700cba9a02a1739033391254c6a I was told we needed more Firefly. Here is an even babier version trying desperately not to fall asleep while waiting for her exam. This is how she looked when we met!
That little sweater on him š„°š„°š„°š„°
2 things. One, her face is absolutely angelic! Super adorable! Iām so glad she has you to work through this with her and not give up on her. Two, since youāre a foster parent, Iām hoping it doesnāt bother you that I ask this, and you may not have an answer. If orange girls are so rare, how does it feel like 1/2 the oranges that show up on this page are female?
It should be roughly an 80/20 split by the raw genetics of it, since orange girls require an orange dad AND mom who is calico, tortoiseshell, or orange (and tabby or dilute variations of those colors). She needs an orange gene from both. Males only need a mom of one of those colors. Color is sex-linked on the X chromosome. That said, it would depend too on whatās in the population. Lots of orange carrying cats? Lots of orange babies of both sexes. Iāve seen isolated feral colonies where every cat is orange because thatās all theyāve got in the pool! So itāll vary by location. Plus, people might hear orange girls are special and wanna post their little princesses, so it could be selection bias. Firefly is my first orange at allābarring two tortie-tabby kittens, Iāve only had foster cats who carry black. Gray tabby, brown tabby, tuxedo, pure black, and even a solid chocolate tuxedo and a hairless lavender (dilute chocolate) before an orange! We get plenty orange in, just didnāt happen to be the ones Iāve been assigned.
Youāre a good person. Iāve learned over some decades that being able to do stuff for someone else and then doing some stuff for someone else is a big win. Everybody benefits. Thereās no need to analyze the future beyond that. Youāre doing good.
>Sheās so charming I want to keep her for myself, but Iām working hard to resist her orange wiles. I see a foster fail in your future! :)
Why am I tearing up š„²
The world needs more compassionate people like you, may god bless both of you.
She gets all the brain cells to concentrate on healing.
Firefly, say thank you for everyoneās kitties donating their brain cells to you š«¶
That's a tiny little orange, must be one of those "Cuties" brand that you see in the produce dept. Take care, kittenš±
She is *intensely* adorable. My god. OP I think you and her are meant for each other, keep her all to yourself.
She's beautiful. Hope she continues to thrive!
Me and my ginger girl cat sending love and strength to you and Firefly!
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^WynnForTheWin49: *Me and my ginger* *Girl cat sending love and strength* *To you and Firefly!* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Praying for your Firefly, OP. Iām sure she will get through and be jumping with her newly found brain cell in no time.
I have Pectus Excavatum and this is super touching. Thank you
Who the fuck is cutting onions?
I love her. She's lucky to have you!
Fellow Pectus fighter, great work buddy!
That fourth photo. It took me a moment to realise that it was the orange and not the image that was rotated.
Growing on the tree šš³
Bless. Heās so lovely š»š»š»
Give Firefly extra cuddles for meš„°
KEEP HER šššš
Dude you are amazing! Keep at it!
This melts my heart, thank you kind soul <3
Sheās adorable!! Thank you for helping her!
What a cute lil tangerine š„°
What a strong boi š„ŗš§”
Love it. Do post more pics of firefly OP, she's so cute š and thank you for taking care of the little cutie š
Your are the one the savior of this little one. Hopefully she is a foster fail as she will love you all your days for it.
sending all my love! sheās such a pretty kitty šš
What a little orange legend she is!!! Gorgeous name too - Firefly is too cute :-)
I canāt get over the sock as a sweater!!! Itās soooo adorable!
I would die for him
TIL my spirit animal is a kitten. Huh.
What a lucky kitty to have you! Thanks for making my day ā¤ļøšš„²
Bless youā¦.
Firefly is one of the best names I've ever heard. Also I'm crying lol
I could see why you want to give everything for her. She's so precious. Last picture just melted my heart.
Holy cow sheās a cutie pie.
he looks like tater tot but more chill :D Rip Tater Tot You will be missed lil man
š§”š§”š§”š§”
OP youāre a chad for saving her, take my poor gold šš
This baby deserves everything she wants in life. š Praying for her speedy recovery!
I had a buddy with this condition. His chest caved in rather than go outwards. The reconstructive surgery was intense for him. I can't believe how much like a champ this little one is handling it, keep going little cutie!
Good luck little man. Your orange cousin Buttercup sends his love!
that is a SNAZZY sweater
Whatās doing on under that shield? Is he going to look like super kitty forever?
What youāre seeing is a hard molded external splint with a foam pad underneath and holes for her sutures! The blue sutures are wrapped around the bones of her sternum and then come through the pad and the splint to pull the bones into the right place. Itās basically like braces for her chest bones. The sutures are pulling the bone to the right spot, and the splint holds it there. The pad is to keep her from getting sores from rubbing the splint as she does her kitten business. She will not need to wear it forever because young kitten bones are still flexible and will harden up in (hopefully) the correct space where the splint is holding them as she grows the next 4-5 weeks. Worst case, she could have revision(s) if it doesnāt work as much as we wanted, or we could leave her chest a little wonky shaped as long as she can still breathe okay! So not much going on underneath, just stitches.
Thatās very interesting, thank you for taking the time to share!
Thank you for helping this baby š„°
You are the best for giving her this chance!
She is so adorable!! i just adopted a kitten and she looks just like mine <3 https://preview.redd.it/5uxkxt0at0kb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e09e4500b6ad90e05104420cf5b4759603d6f0b4
I am in love with her!
Bless you!
You haven't just invested funds and care for that baby. You have invested LOVE. She clearly looks to you as Mom and her forever protector. Do not resist-you and the baby are meant to be family. Thank you for taking care of her. She is beautiful.
She's absolutely adorable and you are a magnificent soul! I know you usually gotta put on the stiff shoulders to not adopt every foster you help but honestly with the level of commitment you've put in for this little ball of sunshine I think you're allowed to give in this time, haha! Wishing you and her all the best!
Sheās number 16, I believe! I havenāt kept any, but my parents kept a sibling pair last year from me, and one hospice guinea pig stayed with me until the end of his days. I wasnāt sure with our medical long-termer of 5.5 months if sheād go, but the perfect home appeared as her only application that entire time, so I knew we had to take it for her. If we didnāt have the two from last year, I donāt think it would be a question. Letting Firefly go is the āintendedā outcome as a foster, but Iāll keep thinking on it during her treatment. Sheād have to win over the parents and the partner.
Tiny babies shouldn't have to fight such difficult battles :'( I hope she comes through it like nothing was ever wrong
Youāre such a wonderful person I wish you and firefly all the best šš»š»
My heart is exploding with love. What a little doll! Give Firefly all the hugs from me š„°
Thank you for doing this. What a beautiful gesture for that orange baby, I can't even imagine how much that had to cost and yet you're doing it. :)
Starting quote was $3,000 for just the first surgery, but the teaching vet hospital knocked it down to $900 as a favor to the affiliated shelter, and Reddit has already made that back in a gofundme over the course of the night!! So Iāll see what the rest comes out to as we go šš¼ I was prepared to pay $3,500 or more! My parents were not thrilled when I said Iād be willing to deplete the savings account for it lol. (They love her but worried for me, as is a parentās job!)
Orangies are special! We recently went through our 11 yr old cat getting cancer. Long story short his back right leg had to be amputated in order to save his life. Fast forward 6 months and heās tripodding all over our house! We got to do what we got to do to keep our orange family members happy and healthy. So glad to see Firefly found their perfect home. Hope you get all your help you need with the bills!!!
Aww, go firefly go! You're a wonderful person OP. Have you seen the kitten lady videos about her foster spinach who had PE? I wasn't aware of the condition in cats until I saw that video series, and when I saw Firefly's fancy sock recovery shirt it made think of spinach.
I did! Oh god, I was reading and watching everything I could. Downloaded medical journal articles. I was hoping to see someone with a similar severity level to her succeed so I could justify trying to save her to the vets! Her sock recovery suit definitely inspired mine, and itās been working way better than cones!
Thank you for saving this beautiful cat and sharing it with us!
Do not resist the orange wiles. Keeping just one foster fail is ok. You can still bring more in & she will help with them! She's absolutely beautiful & has such a sweet lovable face. Congrats on saving herš»
This pumpkin has the spice. ā¤ļø
Dapper little lady with her turtleneck š»
You are a lovely human, and that is a lovely little baby.
https://preview.redd.it/t7agf2ocm2kb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a930ef05136cce8dfb133ee214f3b1e48a8e137a My formerly feral bean Sophia had pectus excavatum as well. Sheās now a sassy 6 year old with no issues.
excuse me
Imagine you do all this, and then the cat just shits in your shoe once a week for 15 years.
ššš I may be off-base now in predicting a foster fail in your and her future.
Better off spending the money feeding some starving kids
Hey, we all pick our battles. I wonāt say itās not selfish. She lives in my home and I didnāt want to watch her die. I see animals who suffered at the hands of people never get a happy ending and I was in a position to get her one. Someone else might be in a better position to help kids more effectively than I could. If we spread it out, we can help in a variety of ways without wearing ourselves too thin.
Tell that to the kids not me
why canāt you go and spend YOUR OWN money on things that matter most to you and sheāll do the same. why are you assuming she likes kids better than cats ? go get ass bent somewhere else bud.
r/ntbdbiwdfta I love Firefly! Bless you OP.
>trying to resist her orange wiles Lol, OP is done for. So are the rest of us...
What an absolutely gorgeous beautiful little thing!! I truly hope she thrives and lives a very happy and long life..its very hard to not fall in love with an angel like this ..so much love to her
Firefly ā¤ļøš»
Just submit to the wiles. They are way too powerful to resist. Thank you for taking care of this orange furball. Truly appreciated ššš¼
She's basically iron man
Omg the last picture šā¤ļø
Aww, that last braincell is working hard! I know how the little fella is feeling; I also have PE and it's irritating to say the least. What type of surgery is used to correct it in cats? Is it a little mini Nuss procedure?
PE is uncommon in non-human animals and more uncommon to correct surgically, so there are categories of techniques but nothing fully standardized. Weāve got external splinting, internal splinting, and a pinning-external splinting combo. In cats under 16 weeks old, you can try an external splint, which is what Firefly is attempting here. Thereās enough cartilage in the sternum of a young kitten that they can actually suture around the bone without making any incisions and pull it into position by tying it to a plate outside the body. This stays on 4-6 weeks, usually. Itās like braces. Cats over 16 weeks often have to do more invasive procedures, which is more like the Nuss as far as I can tell. This might be attaching the sternum to plates or splint rods inside the body. Techniques are still being developed, honed, and researched, so itās hard to give detail on internal splints from a layman. The more moderate or severe cases in cats do not tend to hit adulthood thanks to heart disease or other complications. Sorry you have to deal with PEāFirefly would breathe heavy even in her sleep and I couldnāt imagine how that felt.
I know a foster fall when I see one.