Kitten's social media tale tugs at heartstrings. Cat lovers raise $7K for heart operation
Social media and "stinking" cuteness saved Citrus the kitten.
And, oh yes, a few hundred people who contributed more than $7,000 played a big role, too.
Rescued by the Pet Refuge in North Kingstown and initially thought doomed by a heart problem, Citrus, all 4-and-a-half pounds of her, has recovered after two heart surgeries.
"She's doing great," said Chrissy Deblois, who is fostering Citrus with her husband, Bob, and has decided to adopt her. "She's a playful, happy, fun little kitten."
Citrus was brought to the no-kill cat rescue in July, having been discovered outside with her siblings and no mother to be found. Deblois believes Citrus's mother may have been killed; it's possible her mother was feral.
When it came time to spay Citrus, a veterinarian discovered her heart murmur. The Pet Refuge inquired about fixing her heart, but was initially told there was no hope, that she should be put in Hospice-type care, Deblois said.
More: Purrfect ending: No-kill cat shelter Pet Refuge in North Kingstown will 'keep on trucking'
The Pet Refuge wasn't willing to give up on Citrus and ultimately connected with Tufts University's School of Veterinary Medicine, which said it could save Citrus with an operation. The problem was, the medical procedure would cost about $7,000, and the Pet Refuge, which relies entirely on donations, didn't have the money.
To raise the funds, the Pet Refuge relied on social media and its large group of animal-loving supporters.
How the Pet Refuge set about raising $7,000
Deblois, of West Greenwich, discovered the Pet Refuge three years ago when she adopted her cat Bonita. She was impressed with the organization and decided to get involved. She's been a board member for almost two years and handles the shelter's social media.
When she took over the social media accounts two years ago, Deblois decided to tell more stories about the shelter's cats, sharing their backstories, talking about their personalities and featuring them in photographs and videos.
"I know how important it is to be the voice of the animals," Deblois said.
The strategy worked. Facebook followers jumped from 5,000 to 6,700. Cat adoptions increased from about 160 to 230 a year.
A strong social media strategy was key to saving Citrus and hundreds like her
Followers found Citrus's story especially moving - readers told Deblois some posts had made them cry - and supporters started donating for her operation.
"I didn't hurt that she's so stinking cute," Deblois said.
Deblois wasn't surprised the shelter was able to raise the money, but she was astonished by how quickly the goal was met. "I knew we had a huge base of people that love cats," she said.
Citrus, who had a hole in her heart, had two heart operations over three days in late March. Veterinarians at Tufts clamped the left, damaged side of the heart, transferring all of the organ's work to the right side, according to Deblois.
Citrus got good grades at a recent checkup, and the veterinarians cut back on two of her three medications, something that should make Deblois's life easier since Citrus isn't always good about taking her medicine and has learned to hold off until they are paired with treats.
Because Citrus was getting so much attention on the Pet Refuge's Facebook page, Deblois worried she was taking the spotlight from the other cats and created a separate page for Citrus, called Citrus Gives Back.
It shows a video of Citrus when she returned from the hospital, after two operations and six days in the ICU, with most of her midsection shaved. It also shows more recent videos of her sleeping, eating, snuggling and playfully tangling with her bigger feline siblings, Bonita and Hallow.
Written as though Citrus is the author, an April 24 post updated readers on her condition, and thanked the team at Tufts for its care, particularly veterinarians Emily Karlin and John Rush.
"I’m eternally grateful to the medical team at Tufts," the post says, "and also to every one of you that donated or sent prayers and words of support - you have no idea what it means to me/us."
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cat lovers raise $7,000 for North Kingstown kitten's heart operation
