Alexander, the Great Survivor

Editor’s Note: The Cat of the Week feature is written and submitted by Gail Bowers and Dee Carey, a volunteer at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center where the animals are available for adoption. The shelter is at 1700 Adolfo Lopez Drive, Seal Beach, (562) 430-4993.

Alexander the Great, or Alex for short, has a quirky smile and a gentle soul that will melt your heart. But it is his amazing spirit that makes him irresistible. He came to us as a kitten after being mauled by a dog, which resulted in a fractured pelvis and spine. But Alex never gave up and neither did we. Fortunately, he retained the use of his legs and soon started to play like a kitten. However, the spinal injury damaged the nerves to his bladder and he can't empty it on his own.  As a result, he needs to have his bladder expressed several times a day.

Alex was also blinded in one eye as a result of his encounter with the dog, and the Vets had long recommended that the eye be removed to prevent it from becoming cancerous. Just recently, at the age of 5, Alex developed severe dental disease, and needed to have his teeth worked on.  So, since he needed to be sedated for the dental work, we decided to do the eye removal at the same time. The good news is that the procedures went well, including two tooth extractions.

Alex is now recovered from his surgery and is back to his sweet self.   He is a very special  cat who has spent nearly his entire life in the shelter.   He would love to have his own home with someone who is willing and able to care for his special needs.