Sick, Deaf Senior Cat Found in Trailer Park Works Up Courage to Find Her Voice

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In the blistering heat of summer, a sick senior cat was found in an Arkansas trailer park. 

She was dirty, unable to walk, and in dire need of medical attention.

Keep reading to find out how one woman answered a social media plea to save her life. 

Unable to Walk

When a call went out on social media about a few cats in dire straits abandoned in a trailer park, Sarah Richardson of Community Cats of Central Arkansas was there to meet the need.

One cat on the premises, later named Leona, was 7 or 8 years old and seemed to be suffering from a number of different health issues including being unable to walk. 

Sarah suspected the cause of this and immediately went into action.

“We immediately had to shave her. She has long hair, she’s a long-haired orange tabby, which is actually pretty rare for a female” Sarah Richardson of CCCA explained. 

Leona’s hair had become so matted during her time outside that her back legs and tail were matted together, preventing her from walking. 

 “We shaved her entire back end, and when we shaved her back end…she stood up on her back legs”, Sarah recounted. 

Leona was terribly weak, but there was hope.

It was apparent that she hadn’t been able to use her back legs for a while now, but she finally stood up.

The Road Ahead

Leona had a host of health issues she needed help to overcome.

She was anemic, had parasites, had internal infections, had a UTI, needed a full-body shave, needed fluids and medication. 

She needed to catch up on a lot of rest and was still very tired and lethargic. 

Leona went into foster care with Sarah. After a few days of decompressing, Leona started to come out and explore her foster home. 

By the way Leona slept when she got to Sarah’s home, Sarah could tell Leona had clearly been exhausted. 

However, there was one more factor Sarah realized had contributed to Leona not allowing herself to get rest in the wild. 

“When I went to give her food, she didn’t look so I started clapping – trying to see if she could hear me”, Sarah said, “and […] she’s completely deaf.”

Leona had spent countless days and nights alone outside, sick and deaf and in a lot of discomfort.

The road ahead would be long and require a lot of treatment for the neglect she experienced, but Sarah was determined to help her.

Learning Leona

After a lot of medication and TLC, Leona started to feel better.

She seemed to have finally caught up on rest.

Though, napping is definitely still her favorite hobby!

The more comfortable Leona is, the more she talks.

She has no sense of volume because she’s deaf, so she’s a loud talker and will let you know when she wants attention. 

Leona has a lot of personality and the voice to go along with it! At the same time, she’s never bothered by loud sounds.

She doesn’t mind the company of other dogs and cats, and she doesn’t feel stressed if they don’t warm up to her right away because she can’t hear any hisses or complaints from others. 

Leona isn’t interested in toys, but she loves watching TV.

One of her favorite channels is Animal Planet and she loves when squirrels come across the screen. 

Sarah describes her as a very laid-back couch potato with a great personality and funny mannerisms.

“There were times we weren’t sure if she would overcome all this, but she has! So we’re thankful,” Sarah said.

Ready for Adoption

Leona is happy, healthy, and finally well enough to be ready for adoption!

She is looking for a loving and understanding home, as she is older and deaf. 

She would love a home that lets her watch tv and doesn’t mind listening to her stories, no matter how loud they may be. 

We don’t know much about Leona’s life before her health was allowed to decline so dramatically.

But, one thing is certain. Leona will never have to go through something like that again!

Sarah Richardson is one of the few rescuers in Arkansas who provides care for elderly cats with severe medical conditions.

If you’d like to donate food or supplies directly to Sarah through her Amazon Wishlist, please click here.

Click here if you’d to donate toward a cat’s medical funds to help Sarah continue her life-saving rescue missions.

Be sure to follow Sarah on Instagram see more of her incredible rescue work!

Happily Ever After

Sarah is happy to announce that Leona found her perfect fur-ever family!

She was adopted by a photographer who showers her with love and attention.

Now Leona is officially a model.

This sweet girl was destined to be an artist’s muse!

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