Our most recent (and possibly the most dramatic) rescue occurred when, after midnight, an NCC member happened upon a local Facebook post with a photo of an emaciated cat with a terrible eye infection. Horrified, she raced to the neighborhood and spotted the cat on the street. He tottered up to her… and she rescued him! 

Named for the Sacramento River near where he was found, this gravely ill, emaciated tabby boy with infected head wounds and eye infections was weaker than any other cat we’ve ever rescued.

A few hours later, early in the morning, we rushed River to the vet. He warned us that River’s chance of survival was slim. He could barely stand, much less eat on his own. But with weeks in our recovery specialist's dedicated round-the-clock care (including syringe feeding and warm moist compresses every two hours, sub-Q fluids and a long term antibiotic injection with a secondary oral antibiotic added on follow-up exam) River has rallied, showing a powerful will to live… and a deeply affectionate nature. 

Over the weeks since his rescue, River’s progress has been so extraordinary that he’s surprised both of the vets who have directed his care, and he's gained hundreds of followers cheering him on. The caring folks who follow River’s updates on our social have coalesced into “River Village;” an online community sharing love, well wishes, prayers, and donations to support this amazing cat’s miraculous recovery. 

This spontaneous outpouring of love for a fragile kitty fighting for his life means so much to us… and to River himself. We’re convinced that our sweet boy’s remarkable recovery is due, in large part, to our devoted Villagers. One even dubbed River with a surname so appropriate that we immediately adopted it: He's now officially River Milagro (the Spanish word for miracle).

Today, three weeks after his rescue, River looks like a different cat — as one of his vets noted. Every day, our boy continues to gain strength and weight, and his grievous wounds are nearly healed. He’s even begun to play… and to purr when he’s petted. 

In half a century of rescue, River’s recovery is one of the most improbable and heartwarming medical miracles we’ve experienced. NCC feels so fortunate to have guided this precious cat’s epic healing journey, and along with the River Villagers, we rejoiced on the day near the end of the year when he flew cross-country to his forever home —with the mother of his original rescuer— an ecstatic ending to his long, miraculous journey.

VIVA RIVER MILAGRO!

VIVA RIVER VILLAGE!

Thank you for making these success stories a possibility for our community’s most vulnerable cats. To make more happy endings please donate here.