A Shared Mission of Saving Ali
Ali had already been through enough when she arrived at Dakin last fall. The 10-year-old tuxedo kitty with gold eyes and white whiskers had been surrendered when her family faced housing issues. She had resorptive lesions, a painful dental condition, and an ear infection. Ali went under general anesthesia for a dental procedure, and while sedated, she received an ear cleaning.
After the procedure, our medical team noticed some concerning symptoms. Ali appeared disoriented, had a noticeable head tilt and was unsteady on her feet. She was diagnosed with vestibular disease, a condition that affects balance and coordination. In some cats, it can occur after treatment involving the inner ear.
It was decided that Ali should recover in a quiet spot, so she was relocated to the office of Veterinary Services Manager Mary Jane McGuire. “She was moved there because she was the type of cat that struggles at the shelter,” shared Mary Jane. “She was a senior cat, change was hard for her, and we wanted to do what we could to set her up for success, keep her spirits high, and her appetite up.”
Unfortunately, Ali was nauseous and refused all food. Because she was overweight, she ran the life-threatening risk of damaging her liver by not eating, so she was treated for her anorexia.
“I remember coming into my office each morning hoping that she had eaten the night before, and my heart broke when I saw her food bowls untouched,” Mary Jane recalled. “She didn’t eat for four full days and her symptoms weren’t improving. I was getting more and more worried that we were running out of options to help her.
“When I walked into my office on the morning of the fifth day, I couldn't believe what I saw - she finally ate. She was still having trouble walking straight but made her way over to me purring. I picked her up and gave her a big hug. She wasn't out of the woods yet, but it was a big improvement,” Mary Jane said.
A few days later, all of Ali’s symptoms resolved and she was back to her normal self. Less than a month after arriving at Dakin, she was adopted by a family in Hadley.
According to Mary Jane, Ali was “the sweetest, round girl with the softest fur who loved to flop over for pets. She had the cutest chirp and was the epitome of a tuxedo cat. Ali was also visited by our Cat TLC volunteers who made sure that she had additional emotional support during her stay and recovery.”
Our mission is to support animals like Ali, especially when they face the toughest challenges. Dakin’s dedicated medical and animal care teams, as well as our cat care volunteers, worked together to develop the best treatment plan and recovery environment for Ali. With creativity and compassion, we repurpose offices and other quiet areas in our building to provide safe, peaceful spaces for animals in need of rest, healing, or a moment to decompress.