Caitlin McAuliffe
When we learned For Animals, Inc., an animal rescue in New York City we’ve fostered kittens for, was looking for a forever home for Poppy, an adorable black and white cat who had survived feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), we offered to share her story in hopes of getting her adopted. We learned from Kim, Poppy’s foster mom, that when she was rescued from the streets of New York City in the summer of 2021, the eight-week-old kitten had already suffered trauma to her tail and one of her eyes.
Sadly, Poppy’s challenges were far from over because while at the shelter, she developed FIP, a viral disease caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus that was a death sentence just a few years ago. Fortunately, thanks to generous donations from supporters of For Animals, Inc., Poppy survived FIP, and today she’s thriving in her foster home with Kim!
We really enjoyed learning about Poppy, and we hope this sweet, playful, and inspiring young cat finds her forever home soon, with or without her best friend, Cashew! We hope you enjoy learning about Poppy as much as we did, and we also hope you’ll help her get adopted by sharing her story on social media.
Meow As Fluff: How did Poppy end up at For Animals, Inc.?
Kim: She was found outside at two months old with a tail injury and scarring on one eye from a previous untreated eye infection. Martha rescued her at two months old. Poppy had a very difficult start to life.
MAF: Can you tell me a bit about FIP affected Poppy?
K: A few months into her time in the shelter, she developed FIP, likely a result of the trauma she endured outside. Poppy fought hard, and with the help of her rescuer, she beat it. She’s only about a year and a half now and spent most of that time in a cage. Poppy had some terrible seizures when she had FIP.
MAF: How is Poppy doing since she recovered from FIP?
K: Our sweet princess Poppy is blooming. Poppy is a beautiful tuxie girl with the cutest black spot on her nose and a white dot on the tip of her tail. Her markings are just beautiful. She purrs hard and clops around like a little pony.
MAF: What are some of Poppy’s favorite activities?
K: She will love you forever when you offer her a good meal or treat, and she loves to groom her fuzzy bed before taking a nap–she will even groom you, too! Her favorite toys are little plastic spirals, and she races through the house with them.
MAF: What should potential adopters know about Poppy’s special needs?
K: Poppy has a couple of special needs that are easy to manage as a result of her tail injury. Her legs are a little bit wobbly, and because of the scarring on her eye, she is a tiny bit clumsy.
She can be adopted solo, as a companion to another gentle kitty, or with her bestie and foster sister, Cashew.
Poppy’s unable to poop in the litterbox, as she doesn’t know when it’s going to happen (likely due to her tail injury). The good thing is that I have her on a raw diet, so she only goes once a day or once every other day as a result.
It is really very manageable, but she’s going to need a very special adopter. If you can open your home and heart to her, she will give you love back tenfold.
MAF: What does she mean to you?
K: Poppy is a fighter. She deserves to be spoiled and loved forever.
To learn more about this gorgeous cat, you can follow For Animals, Inc. on Instagram.
If you’re interested in adopting Poppy, please complete an application.
