Sharing is caring! Share! In the small town of Morrilton, Arkansas, a bubbly orange tabby cat named Morris had made the local liquor store his home for over a year. Morris had won the hearts of both employees and customers with his spunky personality and irresistible charm. Despite how popular he was, the community was late to take action when Morris’s health took a tragic turn for the worse. Keep reading to find out how this beloved liquor store cat was able to overcome the odds thanks to the help of a kind-hearted rescuer and dedicated vet team!
A͏n͏ e͏x͏t͏r͏e͏m͏e͏l͏y͏ f͏r͏i͏e͏n͏d͏l͏y͏ c͏a͏t͏ named Morris had become a bit of a local celebrity by frequently hanging around the liquor store and greeting customers with a smile, winning the hearts of many in the community. However, one day, some of the store workers noticed that Morris had a bad injury on his face. Assuming his wounds would heal on their own, no one felt it was urgent to get Morris medical attention. Unfortunately, what they didn’t realize was that Morris had developed a severe abscess on his face that eventually ruptured. His injury only got worse, leaving the left side of his face severely damaged from cheek to neck. When it became clear that Morris’ life was in danger, one of the liquor store employees took to Facebook begging for help.
Assistance Arrives Sarah Richardson, who is a rescue coordinator for Community Cats of Central Arkansas, came across the post and immediately took action. She arranged an emergency rescue with one of her volunteer transporters, who got into her car at 11 PM and made a two-hour drive to rescue Morris. However, Morris was not going to make it easy for them. The normally friendly liquor store cat was hiding under the deck, too terrified to come out. Thankfully, they were able to coax Morris out from under the deck and into a carrier. Unfortunately, Morris was in pain, confused, and stressed by all the commotion. He cried and whimpered the entire car ride home, unable to shake off the fear and anxiety. Little did he know, the love and care he was about to receive would change his life forever.
Assistance and Optimism When Sarah finally saw Morris in person, her heart broke at the sight of his injuries. “I had only seen two photos of him on Facebook,” said Sarah. “I knew it was going to be bad, but it was much worse than I expected.” Morris was in an immense amount of pain, and Sarah wasted no time getting to work. She immediately gave him pain medication, giving Morris a chance to take a long, much-needed nap. “It was probably the first time in a long time that he was able to get some real rest,” said Sarah. “The pain he’d endured took a serious toll on his body.”
Sarah escorted Morris to several veterinary clinics early the next morning, hoping to find someone who could take on his case. “I’ve never seen an injury like this in all my years of cat rescue,” said Sarah. “It looked like half of his face had been ripped off.” The severity of his injuries took all the vets aback. They knew he would require multiple surgeries and skin grafts, but they were uncertain about the outcome.
Sarah expressed her joy after visiting four different vets and finally discovering one who was willing to take on Morris’ case. Morris had suffered severe injuries that required him to be hospitalized at the vet clinic for several weeks. This provided the vet team with a lot of valuable time to work on his recovery. Similar to how employees and customers of a liquor store become enamored with each other, the vet team became attached to sweet Morris during his stay. This experience earned Morris the nickname “Morris the Miracle.”
After Morris began to experience less pain, his irresistible charm and sparkling personality started to shine through. Despite the suffering he had endured, Morris still loved being pet and held. It didn’t take long for him to open his heart and become very trusting of the amazing vet team taking care of him. “They’ve fallen in love with him,” said Sarah. “The vet and her team took turns carrying him around like a baby and rocking him to sleep.”
Morris treated his medication and therapy with great enthusiasm, resulting in him returning to his happy and lively self without fear or anxiety. Sarah commented on his constant purring and friendly nature towards strangers, earning him the title of “Morris the Miracle.” Although his recovery process is longer than any other cat in their care, they are committed to ensuring his happiness and health no matter how long it takes.
Heading towards Recovery The veterinarian was unable to locate the origin of the abscess, leading her to believe that his injury had been untreated for an extended period. Upon examination, she discovered fungi and bacteria growing all over his open wounds. Although the skin was dead, the tissue was still viable, meaning the vet was able to save his tissue and begin the first phase of treatment.
She took care of his entire facial grooming and administered heavy doses of antibiotics to treat his wounds. The wound treatment protocol was so intense that his bandages needed to be re-wrapped every 24-48 hours. “The vet said Morris was a ‘Houdini’ at wiggling out of his bandages,” Sarah chuckled. “She learned to be creative about securing them.”
The vet team started to see the positive results of their hard work as Morris made progress. After being hospitalized for two months, Sarah received some amazing news: Morris was finally ready to go home! Everyone is so proud of Morris and all the progress he’s made since being rescued. Sarah is thrilled to learn that Morris the Miracle is HOME from his long hospital stay! She shared on Instagram, “Some rescue days are really hard, but days like this make it all worth it.”
Sarah expressed her gratitude for the continued progress of Sweet Morris, and mentioned that he will be spending quality time with his foster family, receiving all the love and attention he deserves. They are closely monitoring his wounds to ensure everything goes according to plan. In a few weeks, Morris will be fully healed and available for adoption. Sarah thanked everyone for cheering him on during his long recovery process.
Amongst all the treatments, hospitalizations, and 24/7 care, the financial burden of Morris’s medical bills became a significant commitment.
