As many of you remember, Michael was the victim of abuse, having been tortured at the hands of two young boys whose reckless disregard for life brought Michael to the brink of death. Fortunately, he was rescued by a Friends for Life volunteer and after many surgeries, was put up for adoption. But his "special needs" condition made it difficult for him to find a permanent home. While his chronic weeping eyes and lack of teeth were somewhat of an inconvenience, it was his lack of trust in humankind that made his adoption difficult. This is where the real story begins...

Michael was brought to the home of a volunteer who had become involved with FFL after adopting two cats in 1997. Julie has a real passion for "special needs" animals. Before joining FFL she cared for a cat with FIV for many years, offering him a warm home and loving heart, until he made his journey over the Rainbow Bridge.

Hers was the perfect home for Michael to begin his emotional recovery, and offer him a real chance at adoption! He had his own bedroom and a basket filled with toys, including his all-time favorite, bird on a string! We knew Mike loved other cats, but it was his fear of humans that had been so difficult to overcome. And so after months of hands-on therapy, Mike was finally learning to trust people... his foster parents. But a permanent, loving home still eluded him. Try as he might, Mike was never quite able to find just the right family, one that would meet both his needs and theirs.

However, Mike had an idea! He knew Julie and her husband had two of their own cats, and by now, he thought, it was high time he met them! Sparky was a GIANT of a cat... weighing in at nearly 20 pounds, while PITA was a feisty female who enjoyed the camaraderie of a playful competitor. Overjoyed with this discovery (not one but two companions!), Mike proceeded to win the hearts and souls of his newfound feline friends, paving the way for what he had been yearning.

And then one day it happened... Michael (and his foster parents) realized that the home he had been longing for since the trauma he had so bravely endured, had been right outside his bedroom door!

And now you know, his story has come full circle... this happy ending for Michael has meant a new beginning for the five of them as a family. After years of rehabilitation, Michael has come to reside in his forever-together home.

Michael will always be our "spokescat" for special needs animals, as he is forever grateful to all of you who gave so generously in his time of need.

Thanks to all of you who have donated, and continue to donate to The Michael Fund!

Thank you, thank you, thank ALL of you! Generous donations from dozens of compassionate animal lovers have enabled us to proceed with Michael's second surgery! Your contributions helped The Michael Fund meet its goal of $850.00 to cover the costs of two very specialized surgeries for Michael. The first operation took place at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital in March and July 16th will mark the final surgical step in this very special feline's road to recovery.

As many of you recall, Michael was the victim of abuse at the hands of two boys whose reckless disregard for life left him with little hope for a full recovery. After being brought to Friends for Life, his broken ribs were repaired but his weeping eyes and disfeatured mouth posed what we thought could be a health problem.

Veterinary Ophthalmologists operated on Mike but were unsuccessful in opening his tear ducts during the first operation. However, they discovered that the blockage in his eyes was the result of a build-up in fibrous tissue, which fortunately for him, is only cosmetic! Happily, Mike's weeping eyes are healthy and clear, which he proudly demonstrates by the stunning capture of his bird-on-a-string toy in record time!

This final surgery will clean out his mouth and gums. The attack shattered all of Michael's upper right teeth. Although surgery cannot replace those missing teeth, he is no less loveable without them. He eats dry food as well as cooked meats and of course enjoys the occasional treat! Thanks to the expertise of some highly skilled surgeons, Mike will be ready for adoption in August.

We are happy to report that Michael is growing ever more trusting in his foster home. He now sits contentedly in his foster mom's lap until the sound of his own purring lulls him to sleep! We never dreamed that Michael would make such a stunning recovery, not just in the physical sense, but in a deeper, more intuitive one. He understands that we are helping him. Now, thanks to Mike, we all can dare to dream... dream about a happy-ever-after ending for him.

Michael will need time, patience and a gentle environment when he is adopted. If you think you might be that exceptional person who has the love and commitment to offer Michael a life of forever-together companionship, please fill out our adoption questionnaire.

Thank you for your support on behalf of companion animals everywhere! Many thanks to those who have donated to Michael's Fund...

After abuse left him with broken ribs and teeth, Friends for Life veterinarians gave him a hopeful new beginning. However that was short-lived. Michael's next challenge came about when his continued weeping eyes left him, once again, without hope of adoption.

After a visit to UC Davis to see a veterinary ophthalmologist, we were told that Michael needed eye surgery to repair his entropion eyelids and to clear his blocked tear ducts. And, additional oral surgery will need to be done in the near future as a result of the attack, which left him with shattered teeth on the upper right side. For now though, he is happily recuperating at a foster home and his hopes are high, once again, of finding a permanent home.

If you can, please help Friends for Life pay for Michael's medical treatment. We have a goal of $850.00, the cost of the eye and dental surgeries. With your contribution of $10.00 to The Michael Fund, we will only need 84 additional people as generous as you are in order to cover the cost of this life-changing surgery.

Monetary donations are always greatly needed and appreciated.
You may make a secure on-line donation via:

Page last updated: 09-May-2007
© 1999-2002 Friends for Life - All Rights Reserved