When we first met Morgan, he was unable to move his hind legs.Our team rushed him to the emergency veterinarian, where a cardiologist spoke the words we feared the most:saddle thrombus.

This fearsome blood clot forms in the cat’s blood stream, working its way tothe spot where this main artery branches out tosupply blood to the hind limbs. The clot then cutting off blood supply to the cat’s back legs, causing paralysis.Even under the best circumstances, the affected cat’s prognosis is poor.

It’s estimated that 90% of saddle thrombus cases have underlying heart disease, and Morgan is no exception.Combine his immediate emergency with underlying severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM); two forms ofarrhythmias (irregular heart beat); and the beginnings of congestive heart failure,and Morgan would seem to have little hope of recovery.

But Morgan never got that memo.

Not only did our gentle giant survive intensive care at the emergency hospital, but he proved himselfto be a happy-go-lucky, gregarious snuggle bug at Tabby’s Place. So he retained somelingering weakness and “knuckling over” in his hind legs; so he needed a veritable pharmacyfull of medications. No matter. Morgan is here to live and to love..The creamsicle-colored cat with the cabbage-sized head is a sweetheart.During his Quarantine period, when visitors came to see another cat, he would reach through hiscage bars, chattering and pawing at visitors in a scat giddiness.

Now occupying the catbird’s seat as office mate to our Founder and Executive Director, Jonathan,Morgan has a future featuring all the outstanding care he needs – and all the affection he craves.Although he’s still new to the Captain’s office, Morgan has already stolen Jonathan’s heart.

If our big-hearted boy has touched your heart, too, you can help provide for his many needs as his faithful monthly sponsor. Morgan’s heart gets help from a raft of medications, including an ACE inhibitor, a diuretic, a blood thinner, and a calcium sensitizer shown to improve survival time and quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure. To stay one step ahead of Morgan’s heart disease, we will give him an echocardiogram and chest radiographs every six months. Weekly laser therapy, although costly, will help Morgan to live a better life, creating positive blood flow to his weakened hind legs and easing his discomfort. If Morgan responds well to the laser, we may also introduce acupuncture.