Athena, the little fighter

I was stuck out in the snow, huddled under a lamp post in rural Pennsylvania. Because of an untreated skin disorder I was bald, and because of my tooth problems I was just skin and bones. After what seemed like hours, a car pulled up next to me and opened up the door. I jumped right in and began to purr and drool out of happiness. They said that my breath smelled like death, and I wouldn't stop sneezing, but they loved me anyways. They took me to a nice warm house and gave me all the food I could eat.

Unfortunately, they had a dog that was allergic to the ammonia in my litter box and could not keep me. Knowing that I had medical problems, and was an older lady, they were afraid to take me to the shelter. Luckily, one of their friends, a struggling college student fell in love with me and took me home to her house.

She took me to the vet and found out that I only weighed 4.5lbs. I had massive tooth decay that was causing infections and abscesses so large that I couldn't eat and would need all of my teeth removed. They said that I was possibly to old to even survive the surgery that I needed. My owner was so sad, she didn't know how she could afford the expensive surgery, or if I'd even survive it. That week her grandmother passed, and left her the exact amount of the surgery in her will. Taking this as a sign, she knew I had to have the surgery.

After I came home I became my loving, excitable, fat self again. It must have been years since I felt so happy and healthy. I even have my own room to lay around in and be the princess I was born to be.

Veronica Furukawa
Hagerstown, MD