AGAINST ALL ODDS

Ruffin is a 4- to 5-year-old orange male cat who has definitely used up some of his nine lives. He was found in a box in a park on the Lower East Side, along with his three siblings. He was 2 months old.

When Ruffin was 9 months of age, he became sick. A veterinarian incorrectly diagnosed him to have Feline Infectious Peritonitis. FIP typically strikes cats less than a year old. And there's no cure. As such, the vet recommended that we put Little Ruffin to sleep. Of course, we refused.

Against all odds, Ruffin courageously fought for life and was fine until a few months ago. That's when we noticed a change in his behavior and physical condition. He started losing weight, crouching on the floor, and drooling. Sometimes, he seemed to be in a fog. In addition, he became very needy, clinging to one's neck when held, as if pleading for attention.

We brought him to a veterinary hospital, but the blood work was inconclusive, while the bill climbed to $600. The vet recommended that we take him to see a neurologist, but that doctor also failed to find anything definite.

Desperate to save Ruffin, we turned to a Chinese medicine veterinarian who proceeded to work a small miracle. Wonder of wonders, Ruffin stopped drooling and became much more responsive. The herbal remedies prescribed have halted his frightening downward slide. However, we are stuck with significant medical bills.

If you could make a small donation to help defray the cost of Ruffin's battery of tests, you'd be assisting in our ongoing rescue work and treatment of sick and abandoned cats. If you prefer to donate directly to Ruffin's veterinary hospital, please contact New York City Rescued Kitties for details. Call 212.353.9783 or e-mail nyckitties@yahoo.com.

When you see beautiful, brave Ruffin, abandoned as a kitten in a park, and, later, brought back from the brink of death, you can believe that, perhaps, there's such a thing as cosmic justice. But people have to pitch in to make it work.