KAIA the Mighty Warrior Savannah Cat: Her Survival and the Team Who Saved Her
HOW KAIA SURVIVED A BRUTAL ATTACK
In June of 2016, Folsom City Animal Services responded to a call about a deceased cat on the side of the road. Upon arrival, Animal Control Officer Walden realized the cat wasn't dead but alive and needed immediate veterinary care.
This young cat's neck had deep gashes and wounds, indicative of an attack carried by a predator, likely a coyote. Her front leg was twisted and limp, and her left eye was with significant damage. The emergency veterinarians were able to stabilize her, but she had a very long road ahead. The cat didn't have a microchip, but it could've gotten lost during the attack.
Officer Walden reached out to social media, and somebody located the cat's owner! However, due to her extensive medical costs, the owner released the cat to Folsom City Animal Services, where they'd continue her care. Officer Walden took care of her for the next several days, feeling quite attached as well as protective of where she'd end up. She couldn't give the cat the care she needed with her busy schedule, so she reached out to FieldHaven Feline Center in Lincoln, California. Joy Smith, President, and Founder of the Center, immediately agreed to take in the cat and continue her care. However, she wanted to get the cat into foster care as soon as possible, where they would monitor her closely.
I've been a volunteer photographer for FieldHaven since 2008. Joy Smith also knows I have Savannah cats and have owned several over the years. When I received the email one June morning and saw the kitty's photo, I immediately knew she'd be coming to our house for her recovery. Several days later, when the kitty was more stable, and they felt she could go to foster care, I drove to FieldHaven, where I met Kaia for the first time.
At just over a year old, Kaia was a small, lovely F6 Savannah. She was a warrior, a survivor, but needed a lot of love and care. With her front left leg damaged, curled, and barely walking on it, Kaia also had a damaged left eye. The vet said we were unsure she'd keep her leg and didn't know if her eye would eventually heal. Both injuries were a result of the traumatic nerve damage that occurred around her neck. They said, "time is the only answer to whether she will make a full recovery ." We began working with her slowly, and we were very patient. Kaia warmed up to us quickly and was very chatty about letting us know how she felt. She enjoyed being petted and comforted and had the sweetest purr.
As time moved on, Kaia's progress was tremendous! Her eye's damage began to heal slowly, and she repeatedly tried to keep using her front leg. At this time, we knew she'd not need it amputated, but it could have some permanent nerve damage. Again, it was something we would only learn as she continued to heal. By December of 2016, six months after her near-death attack, Kaia made a full recovery. We also completed Kaia's adoption at this time, as there was no way we could let her go after all of this. We fell in love with her and felt she belonged with us.
It's been four years since Kaia came into our lives, and every single day, we're grateful. She's a sweet girl with a chatty personality! Kaia's still a bit skittish, and loud sounds can terrify her more than our other cats. She spends a lot of her time in her bedroom hanging out on her favorite cat tree. I've always called Kaia my "warrior cat." After all, how many cats do you know that fought off a coyote and won? She's truly something special.
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