In December of 2015, an all black cat was rescued from an apartment parking lot during a heavy rainstorm. He seemed utterly lost and confused outside and was super grateful to be in a warm house with nice people … and cat food! He was aptly named “Raine” and we quickly got him to a veterinarian to be checked out.
As Raine’s time in a foster home increased, we noticed that he didn’t have the same gait as most of our other cats. Off to the veterinarian where it was determined that he has luxating patellas in both of his rear legs. If you remember our famous boy, Owen, Raine is like him but not as severe. For Owen, it was clear from day 1 that he needed surgery … Raine’s case wasn’t as clear. Our veterinarian recommended that we try a monthly injection to see if that would keep him comfortable. Well, it worked for a bit but, unfortunately, it has became clear that Raine was still very uncomfortable with his kneecaps sliding all over the place.
So, we found ourselves with another kitty that needed two new knees! What’s that saying about lightning striking twice?? 😉
For Karma Cat + Zen Dog, the well-being of our rescued animals is always our number one priority. We truly believe that giving Raine the opportunity to have a life with less pain (and less drugs) was the right thing to do.
On August 24, 2017 Raine had his right knee operated on at the Edgebrook Animal Hospital. He was a model patient and he wooed many of the veterinary technicians into giving him extra pets and treats … and more treats. He went back to his foster home after a few days for lots of cuddles and rest time.
Pre- and post-surgery, Raine’s foster mom was working on teaching him some tricks. She figured that his love of treats should be put to good use! Although surgery recovery took some time, you can see that he’s doing quite well and he’s now working on mastering the on-two-legs-high-five! Raine is a talented and loyal boy and now he was on his way to being pain-free.
December 6, 2017 was Raine’s 2 year “rescue-versary” … he had officially been a Karma Cat for 2 years, waiting for his forever home. He wasn’t always the best behaved with other cats so we felt that he would shine as an only cat – which is a relatively tall order in the cat adoption world. However, Raine’s story and pictures made it to a relative of an Edgebrook Animal Hospital’s receptionist (thank you social media!) … and as this person contemplated adopting a cat, she kept coming back to Raine’s pictures and story.
There were treats and head-bonks at their meet & greet and it didn’t take long for everyone, including Raine, to know that he’d found his forever home. With tears of happiness, his foster momma kissed him and put him in the carrier with the promise that she would continue to foster cats like him – cats that need that extra attention (and treats!).
