A tabby cat that miraculously survived after being struck in the head with an arrow is making a full recovery. The humane society caring for the animal chronicled his story on Facebook and asked followers for donations. Such was the public reaction that they raised a remarkable $80,000.
It was Valentine’s Day when the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) received a call from a rescue in West Virginia about a cat in dire need of medical attention. Someone had shot the poor feline with an arrow. “They rushed him to the hospital, where he was given pain medication, and the veterinarian believed that the arrow had been there for at least a week,” AWLA explained in a viral Facebook post.
Because the rescue center that found him couldn’t afford surgery costs, AWLA took the injured animal in. “How could we say no? As soon as we saw his photos, we knew we had to step up and see if we could save his life,” the post read.
On Feb. 15, volunteers from the humane society rushed the hurt animal to a veterinary hospital, where he received pain medication and an x-ray. The touching Facebook post notes how friendly the tabby cat was despite his severe pain, so they decided to name him Cupid. A suiting name indeed for a cat rescued around this time of year!
The very next day, Cupid had to undergo surgery to remove the arrow. Extraordinarily, the object had not touched any of his vital organs but had caused a serious infection. While he was getting the best possible care, the poor cat’s life was still hanging in the balance.
In the end, Cupid proved to be a very resilient little kitty. According to a video update, one day after surgery, he was already making an impressive recovery. “He’s doing really really good,” said Chelsea, a volunteer with AWLA, in the clip.
The woman explained that while the arrow had been successfully removed, the feline was still fighting the infection, which they were treating with two separate types of antibiotics. “He’s the most affectionate little man we’ve pretty much ever met. He’s just snuggly with everyone and wants to be cuddled,” she added.
The most recent update on Cupid’s fate, posted on Feb. 21, revealed he was responding very well to treatment and continuing to get better by the day. “As you can see, he’s still a happy boy and is already back to making biscuits after his check-up,” a heartwarming update read.
In their first viral Facebook post explaining Cupid’s injury and medical needs, AWLA also shared a fundraising page asking for donations to cover the tabby cat’s veterinary treatment. They had initially set out to raise around $6,500. However, the public reaction was so great that, according to the most recent update, they managed to raise over $80,000, more than 12 times the original request.
“We wanted to let you know that all funds leftover from Cupid’s treatment will be placed into our Healthy Pet Fund, which provides supplemental, specialized medical care and ongoing treatment for animals in our care,” the touching post stated. “We will be able to help SO many animals in need with these funds, animals that might not be able to receive treatment otherwise.”
Many people took to the Facebook comment section to express their desire to adopt little Cupid as well as wish him well in healing from his horrendous injury. “Thank you guys for saving this precious animal,” one comment read. “I highly respect your organization and the things you do. I’ll donate and spread the word of the Animal Welfare League!”
While another remarked that “the human world continues to crush my soul, but I’m uplifted by the resiliency and purity of animals.”
And a particularly touching comment said, “Praying for poor innocent Cupid. Sounds like he’s got the will to live, I pray that he does!”
