Wisconsin Residents Rescue A Sick Feral Cat, Then Discover A Heartbreaking Truth

I often find myself thinking about what might happen if compassionate people, like those in today’s story, didn’t exist. How many stray cats would never get the chance for a better life?

Thankfully, there are far more kind-hearted individuals out there than we realize. Today’s story is about a feral cat spotted on the streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The entire community was filled with sorrow when Marvin the cat appeared in their neighborhood. 

He looked terribly malnourished, but what they didn’t realize was just how sick he truly was.

As luck would have it, just a few houses down the road was Emilie Rackovan’s house. Emilie is a well-known foster volunteer or as she describes herself:

“Just a girl trying to save some animals.”

If you ask me, she’s a true foster hero, and here’s why. After Marvin was trapped in a carrier by her neighbors, Emilie wasted no time and rushed him straight to the emergency vet.

She was devastated by his condition. Poor Marvin weighed only four pounds. However, the vet soon informed her about his state, as she shared in her post on Instagram:

“He was hypothermic, anemic, had a ragging upper respiratory infection. Our fears came true when his tests came back positive for feline leukemia.”

Emilie made the decision to bring Marvin home, despite having never cared for such a sick cat before. 

On top of his feline leukemia diagnosis, Marvin was also battling feline herpes virus, which only worsened his already fragile condition.

Just six days after being with Emilie, Marvin began to regain some of his strength and even put on a pound. 

His foster mom was committed to giving him the best care, showering him with warmth, love, and as many treats as he could want.

After nearly two weeks in his new home, Marvin had gained more weight and was finally able to move around more comfortably.

However, since he was a feral cat, he then realized he was living with a human, and that made him furious. As Emilie shared in her update:

“He realized that he was now captive in someone’s home and decided that he hated me with a fiery passion.”

Spicy Marvin had regained enough strength to start showing his displeasure with being kept indoors. 

Emilie respected his need for space, though she managed to scratch his head a few times. Most of the time, Marvin responded with a hiss.

Being feral and battling feline leukemia meant that finding Marvin a forever home wasn’t a viable option. 

Emilie knew she needed to find another solution, so she reached out to a friend who worked at Best Friends Animal Society for help.

Best Friends Animal Society was a true haven for animals in need, with a dedicated department specifically for cats with feline leukemia.

This meant Marvin could spend the rest of his life far from the dangers of the streets, receiving top-notch medical care.

Thanks to the compassionate community in Milwaukee, Marvin was saved and given the chance to enjoy the rest of his life in peace.