In 2010, Austin Pets Alive! made a commitment to give all cats with ringworm a chance at life and love – and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Since the opening of APA!’s Ringworm Adoption Center, not one cat affected by this curable infection has been euthanized in Austin. In 2018 alone we adopted out over 600 ringworm cats! That’s more than 600 lives in one year that wouldn’t have had a chance if APA! hadn’t started the fight to treat and destigmatize cats with ringworm.
Ringworm is completely curable, and an affected cat can live a very healthy and normal life after – and during – their treatment. The crux of the aversion to ringworm is the fungus’ inclination to cause (temporary) crusty bald patches. While ringworm progresses differently depending on each individual cat, some cases of ringworm are severe enough that a kitty may lose the majority of their hair – such as our friend Bluebeard.
This sweet guy arrived at APA! almost entirely bald. He had not just ringworm, but parasites too, which led to painful scabs covering his tiny body. Due to his skin issues, the shelter that had originally taken him in only gave him three hours to find rescue elsewhere – and of course, we knew that Bluebeard deserved a sincere shot at life and love. Within three days of APA! bringing him in, Bluebeard found a temporary home with Austin Pets Alive! staff member, Adelaide. From there, his condition only continued to improve! Adelaide recalls that from day one Bluebeard became their home’s resident cuddlebug. While he enjoys the company of other cats, there’s nothing Bluebeard loves more than to curl up and snooze in a willing human’s lap.
Adelaide had the sincere pleasure of giving Bluebeard a warm and loving home for a month, and now, Bluebeard spends his time making biscuits on the chests of his forever family members! While he’s currently rocking the short-haired look, he is scab and itch-free, and only continues to improve thanks to his loving family and the support of the APA! community.
In just a few days, we’re asking our community to join us in our efforts to #AmplifyLifesaving for Amplify Austin Day. Kicking off at 6 PM on Thursday, February 28th and running through 6 PM on Friday, March 1st you can be a part of our largest-ever Amplify Austin goal of $240,000 in 24 hours; and when you donate today, you’ll double your impact, thanks to an anonymous donor who will be matching dollar-for-dollar every donation up to $25,000!
Plus, when you donate to our Amplify campaign, you will be directly helping our various lifesaving programs – like our Ringworm Adoption Center. Give today to make many more years of amplified lifesaving possible!
