Surrendered Persian Cat Begs For Help At Shelter, Woman Drops Everything To Save Her

When most people think of Persian cats, they envision a coveted breed with a high price tag, often associated with luxurious living.

However, that wasn’t the case for Fefe, a frail 3-year-old Persian cat who’d lived a life full of hardships and neglect.

Her fateful journey began at an animal shelter in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where she was rescued from euthanasia after being surrendered in critical condition.

Calling for Help

Fefe was surrendered in a deplorable state to a local shelter by her previous owners.

Little is known about her backstory or what exactly led them to surrender her.

The shelter had made it clear to her previous owners that they did not have the resources to address her health concerns, meaning Fefe would be at high risk for euthanasia.

Fefe had a horrible upper respiratory infection (URI), fever, and one of her eyes was so severely infected that it was on the verge of rupturing.

In a desperate attempt to save her life, the shelter contacted Sarah Richardson, rescue coordinator for Community Cats of Central Arkansas.

A Glimmer of Hope

Sarah works closely with the shelter to reduce their euthanasia rate by pulling high-risk cats and fostering them through the rescue.

This has saved thousands of cats and kittens from being euthanized and given them loving forever families!

“We take as many cats as we can afford to save,” said Sarah. “We do everything in our power to give each of them a fighting chance.”

Sarah usually isn’t told much about the cats the shelter asks her to take. All she knows is that she has a very small window of time to arrive and take them.

“I didn’t know she was a Persian cat until I met her,” said Sarah. “It always shocked me to see people neglect purebred cats, but it happens all the time.”

Fefe’s once long, snow-white coat was infested with fleas, severely matted, and stained with dirt and grime. Though one of Fefe’s eyes was on the verge of blindness, Sarah saw a glimmer of hope in her gaze.

The Road to Recovery

Fefe was immediately relieved to be in Sarah’s home instead of a busy shelter full of unfamiliar sounds and smells.

Upon assessing Fefe’s condition more closely, Sarah discovered the true extent of Fefe’s neglect.

“She was so frail and weak that she couldn’t eat on her own,” said Sarah. “She needed to be fed by hand and have IV fluids to combat dehydration.”

Sarah quickly noticed Fefe’s ear infection along with fungus growing out of her ears. “Fungus was literally growing from her earlobes outward onto her head,” said Sarah. “We had to shave her fur to start treatment.”

Poor Fefe was falling apart; her declining health left Sarah with new challenges each day.

Thankfully, after several weeks of intensive care, Fefe began to show signs of improvement.

Her eye that was once on the brink of rupturing finally healed, revealing the world around her in a way she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Each day, she felt less uncomfortable and more confident about her new surroundings. With clear vision and sinuses, Fefe blossomed into the beautiful lap cat she was destined to be!

A Beautiful Transformation

Sarah watched in awe as Fefe transformed into an elegant little princess.

No longer the sickly, frail cat she had once been, Fefe left her past behind and happily embraced her new life with beauty and grace.

Fefe’s personality falls in line with what’s typically expected of a Persian cat.

She’s the textbook definition of a “lap cat”. She isn’t very vocal or playful. Instead, she’s quiet, curious, and extremely affectionate.

“She prefers the company of people over other animals,” said Sarah. “She does great with other cats, but she doesn’t seek them out. If there’s not a lap to sit on, she keeps to herself.”

She’s happiest when she’s sitting on a warm lap or napping by a window and soaking up the sun. She especially enjoys getting her hair brushed, a simple pleasure that she’d been deprived of in her previous home.

“She loves getting pampered! Her daily beauty routine is getting her hair brushed and eyes cleaned,” said Sarah. “And she never fusses about it– she loves it! She’s a total sweetheart.”

A New Chapter Awaits

Fefe is fully vetted, spayed, and ready to be adopted! Until then, she’ll continue living her best life in her foster home.

If you’re interested in adopting this sweet girl, please head over to her adoption listing to learn more. Please share this story to help Fefe find a forever family!

If you’d like to help Sarah and Community Cats of Central Arkansas rescue more cats like Fefe, please donate through our Meow Mail program. In exchange for your donation, you’ll be emailed a heartwarming update on Fefe and how you helped her live happily ever after.

(Credit: Story and photos by Sarah Richardson)