New Orleans: GOOD NEWS! Blind Panda the Cat

7/2 GOOD NEWS! A family member paid Panda's vet bill in full and the report from Chris and the vet are on Chris' ChipIn. Hooray! For those who would like to help Chris with food for her cats, she would appreciate financial assistance for food. Please consider her ChipIn by visiting her blog: http://nolahepper.blogspot.com/

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7/1/10: A heroic woman named Chris at smalk50 AT aol.com is requesting help from angels to cover vet care for her cat Panda who is going to the vet today for anal impaction issues. Chris and Panda are Katrina survivors and have brave stories to share.

She has set up a ChipIn this morning for those angels who wish to help her through Panda's current challenge:
http://pandacat.chipin.com/panda-new-orleans-cat

Chris's email about Panda is as follows. She says she "sent out an email to 100 people - friends and family and have not had one single reply." The ChipIn is new to Chris. Paws crossed that some nice donors will be able to respond to the plea. Thank you for considering Chris and Panda.

Chris sent me her message 6/30/10:

My oldest cat, Panda, who was a cancer survivor and had an ear removed due to squamous cell carcinoma following Katrina,  went blind and is now having ongoing anal gland problems.  She needs to go to the vet but I still owe my vet from Panda's last visit.  During that visit, she had lab work done, which were surprisingly normal.  But she is severely impacted and close to another abscess. 

My own hepatitis c condition has improved somewhat and I am able to do some work - I currently sell books online and have started cat sitting to supplement my small Social Security monthly payment - I also receive food stamps.  My landlord was kind enough to go down on my rent and I have forgone my land line phone and now just have my cell.

I just need to help to get back on my feet - and to get Panda in to the vet for care.

You might remember our Katrina story - I was in my apartment in Lakeview with 8 cats and my car broke down two days before Katrina made landfall.  The water rose up to my neck in the apartment - I was rescued from my roof with 3 of the cats and I had put the other 5 up in high closets.  It took me two weeks to get back to the house (by boat) and miraculously, those cats were still alive even though they were without food or water.

I moved back here with the 8 cats,  6 months after Katrina and was able to help with cat rescue, feeding, etc for about two years.  My health took a beating but I have spent the last two years trying to restore it - with pretty good success.  But now, circumstances have left me almost destitute and unable to  provide the proper care for the remaining 7.  As I said, I just need a bit of help to get back on my feet - and hopefully will be able to generate enough income soon to go on.

The immediate problem is Panda's and if anyone can help pay her vet bill so that she can be treated, it would be a godsend.  My vet is Dr. Sagrera at Natural Pet Care   http://drsagrera.com/

Her contact info is:

3825 Hessmer Ave,
Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 834-2023
Fax: (504) 834-6776