Sherman, aka Mr. Fluff had no idea how lucky he was when he wandered into the beautiful yard of Rogers Park feral cat colony caretaker Jan J.
This stunning long-haired gray and white tabby had been appearing on and off on the yard cam. She didn’t know if he was friendly or feral. Regardless, he needed to be neutered. Sherman came through the TNR surgery just fine and decided to show that he was indeed a sweet, friendly cat.
But something was wrong. . . . He was straining in the litter box and only urinating small amounts at a time. Jan was very concerned that he was in crisis and brought him to an emergency vet. Several vets tried to get a catheter into him, but were unsuccessful.
A urinalysis indicated that he did not have crystals or an infection. Sherman was prescribed some meds to loosen his tissue and help him urinate. He improved a bit over the next two days, but was clearly still struggling. A trip to Shelter Veterinary Solutions showed that Sherman had an unusually narrow urethra, possibly damaged by scar tissue from fighting. He needed a specialized, expensive surgery called a perineal urethrostomy whereby his urethra was shortened and widened, similar to gender change surgery.
Cats in Action is especially grateful to Dr. J. L. Von Waldau for making Sherman’s surgery happen and saving his life. His two hospital visits and surgery came to over $2200, which really puts a dent in our spay/neuter fund! Please help us celebrate Pride Month with a donation to our sweet “trans cat” Sherman. We appreciate your support!
