Eugene

O SAY what is that thing call’d Light, Which I must ne’er enjoy; What are the blessings of the sight, O tell your poor blind boy! You talk of wondrous things you see, You say the sun shines bright; I feel him warm, but how can he, Or make it day or night? My day or night myself I make, Whene’er I sleep or play; And could I ever keep awake, With me ’twere always day. With heavy sighs I often hear, You mourn my hapless woe; But sure, with patience I can bear, A loss I ne’er can know. Then let not what I cannot have, My cheer of mind destroy: Whilst thus I sing, I am a king, Although a poor blind boy. ~ Colley Cibber Meet Eugene, our partially blind boy who has overcome great adversity. He is a loving and trusting cat who suffered greatly as a kitten, alone in the tropical forest of Oahu's windward side. He developed a severe upper respiratory infection, likely from Feline Herpesvirus Infection in Cats (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis), which affected his eyes, causing severe ulcerations. At the time Eugene was rescued, it was recommended that both eyes be removed, but his foster mother nursed him day and night, and his eyes slowly healed. One eye, though scarred, retained some vision, while the other, structurally repaired, likely has no vision. Despite this, Eugene is extremely sweet and adventurous once he warms up to his environment. He loves people and especially other cats. Eugene is more of a cat's cat. He loves to flop and flick his tail as he plays with his foster siblings. When his foster mother holds him, he coils his tail around her hand and lets her cuddle him. Eugene is exceptionally resilient and will make a wonderful addition to any family, despite vision impairment. It is important to note that because of Eugene's initial URI, he should be watched for any future flare-ups. His future owner should be vigilant for typical signs of FVR, which involve the nose, throat, and eyes, and include sneezing, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, excessive blinking, squinting, and discharges from the eyes and nose that range from clear and watery to thick and purulent (containing yellow/green pus). If these symptoms are noticed, he should be taken to the veterinarian, and he will likely be put on antibiotics and potentially antiviral medication. This will prevent future complications with his eyes and his remaining vision. Eugene is litter box trained, vaccinated for Rabies, FVRCP, and FeLV, and microchipped. All Eugene needs now is for you and your family to take him home! If you are looking to change a life and are ready for your life to be changed by the purest love, Eugene is waiting for you. Sometimes Petfinder emails go to spam or junk mail so if you have reached out and are waiting on a response, please check your other folders. Or give us a call or text! Thank you! ~ AKTNR Information about Eugene's Medical Concerns: At some point Eugene was infected with the feline-Herpes virus, likely by his mother. Kitten's, symptoms usually develop several weeks after birth, and the infection can be very serious, as was the case with Eugene. His case caused inflammation and infection of the cornea, leading to corneal ulcers. In chronic or severe infections, the keratitis can lead to corneal scarring or chronic 'dry eye'. All cats that have been infected with FVR will become carriers of this virus; most carriers will be latent, meaning that the virus will survive in an inactive form within the cat's body. Stress and illness can cause the virus to become reactivated, and, if the virus becomes reactivated, the cat will again be infectious. In most cases, the cat will show symptoms of a respiratory infection when the virus is reactivated. However, not all cats with a reactivated FVR infection will show symptoms of the disease. All cats that are actively shedding the virus present a risk to other cats so they should be isolated specially if you have an immune compromised kitty or young kittens. (Feline-Herpes Virus) https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-herpesvirus-infection-or-feline-viral-rhinotracheitis