A gorgeous fluffy cat, Ballad, lost his family and ended up singing the Blues in a trash-strewn park. He was trying his best to live in Brooklyn with a colony of street-wise feral cats. But this was no tough feral cat.
Right away, a TNR (trap, neuter, release) rescuer knew Ballad was once somebody’s beloved pet. She brought the “snuggly affectionate mush” home on a rainy Valentine’s Day evening after he jumped into her carrier.
“He clearly didn’t belong outside, so I brought him home to see if he was lost,” wrote Maggie of Bay Ridge Kittens.
Hopefully, Ballad’s family would turn up as the rescuer placed Lost & Found listings. In the meantime, he was in bad shape at only a year old. His former family didn’t have him neutered either. Left to fend for himself, he got very sick. On the way home, he coughed and vomited but launched himself into her arms and wouldn’t let her go for 20 minutes once he was safe at home.
Images and media via Facebook/Bay Ridge Kittens
Was Ballad Abandoned Because of Health Care Costs?
The next morning, Maggie was alarmed to find him lying in his urine, with blood-tinged mucus from his nose. If she hadn’t taken him home, his prospects for survival were next-to-nothing. But now, he needed expensive veterinary care, which sadly may have been why his former family may have abandoned him.
“No one has stepped up yet to claim him. Maybe Ballad landed outside because he was sick and his people couldn’t care for him,” she wrote.
She was left to foot the hefty bill, and that was terrifying, on top of helping many other cats and kittens.
“I have zero cushion to make the best medical decisions possible, and that’s…terrifying.”
Images and media via Facebook/Bay Ridge Kittens
The Ballad of a House Cat Living on the Streets
At the Emergency Vet, they discovered Ballad had bronchial pneumonia. When he coughed, he swallowed air, causing his stomach to expand to a “massive” size. But fortunately, he was eating a little, and his prognosis once he was treated was good. He just needed some health care. Meanwhile, the vets fell in love with him and started taking his picture. There were even adoption inquiries on the spot!
Best of all, the community came through and helped Ballad get the care he needed.
“I can’t tell you what it means to have the support of this community, especially when I know all too well how much many of us are struggling right now. Thank you for the reminder that no matter how hard this world is on the most vulnerable, those who want to help exist—you just have to find them,” Maggie shared.
The Literal Lap of Luxury
Back home, floofy Ballad got plenty of everything he was missing: cuddles and regular meals. He was a VIP with massages, facials, grooming, and kisses. Soon, his health improved, and he was ready to go into a loving home where he could bask in the “literal lap of luxury” with his foster parents. His purrsonality emerged as his health improved, and he was a bit of a Diva.
“This fluffy, funny, chatty owl-cat has been getting better and better everyday since he was found outside suffering from pneumonia with a local community cat colony. Now with superstar foster Rachel, Ballad is living it up—and it’s an absolute joy to behold.”
Videos via Instagram/rcjhere
In foster care, Ballad loved making biscuits in his pastel rainbow bed. He was also extremely playful, with a ravenous appetite after being hungry for so long. He was making up for lost time and living it up!
A Leap of Faith to Save One Cat
Befitting a Diva, Ballad kept everyone on their toes. He returned to the vet repeatedly but proved to be a happy, healthy boy. Finally, he was healthy enough for the vet to neuter him and the it was time for a brand new life. Unfortunately, his former family never turned up despite many efforts to find them. Maybe they will see this story and know he is doing great today since so many people cared.
The price tag to save Ballad was nearly $3K, and only possible thanks kind peoples’ donations. But in the end, this cat is going to spend the rest of his days providing love and companionship for his humans.
“Responsible rescuing is a leap of faith—when you take on street cats, you don’t know what they’ll need, but you commit to making sure they get it. That kind of dedication is only possible because of YOU.”
You can follow and help support Ballad’s caring rescuers at Bay Ridge Kittens, on Instagram and Facebook.
