06/05/2026
One would think that with the last three weeks being dedicated full-time to my internship, my time dedicated to C9R might have shifted.
And honestly? It has.
But it definitely has not stopped.
It has looked like early morning messages, late night updates, kitten photos, glucose readings, spay/neuter scheduling, foster check-ins, and a whole lot of “okay, let’s think through this together.”
Over the past few weeks, C9R has helped with three tiny kittens working through feeding and tummy troubles, my new diabetic consult Ebbie, many spay/neuter grant recipients, Jana’s ten little nuggets who are currently riding the struggle bus through weaning, and a solo rescuer caring for a kitten with a possible spinal defect or injury.
And then, of course, there is T***k.
My unicorn case.
My “what on earth are we even dealing with?” case.
She continues to humble me, confuse me, worry me, and remind me that sometimes rescue medicine is not about having a neat diagnosis or a perfect treatment plan. Sometimes it is about watching patterns, supporting the body, managing the hard days, and choosing to keep fighting as long as there are still more good moments than bad ones.
That is where we are with her. We do not have all the answers. We may never have all the answers. But for now, she is still T***k, and we are still fighting for her.
The biggest thing these last few weeks have reminded me is that C9R is not only about helping cats and kittens. It is also about supporting the people who are helping them.
The fosters. The owners. The rescuers. The people who are scared, tired, overwhelmed, learning as they go, and still showing up anyway.
So thank you to the people who trust me with their animals, their questions, their fears, and their hard cases. That trust is not something I take lightly.
We cannot save them all. We cannot fix everything. But we can show up with compassion, honesty, encouragement, and whatever help we are able to give.
And sometimes, that is exactly what both the animals and their people need most.
