Cat’s future looks bright after life-changing surgery

Animals’ ability to adapt to their circumstances never ceases to amaze. Emma, a 7-year-old tabby cat, is a prime example of this resilience. She was born without fully formed eyelids, a rare condition called eyelid agenesis. But despite the constant discomfort, she always maintained her sweet demeanor.

[Cat’s world goes from blurry to bright]

Emma came to the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Salt Lake City from a Utah shelter. We don’t know much about her past, but this sweet girl was in rough shape all around. Most notably, she didn’t have upper eyelids. This caused a host of problems, including extremely dry eyes and painful ulcers from fur rubbing against her eyes. The vet team was determined to do whatever it took to improve her quality of life.

Best Friends arranged for Emma to see a veterinary ophthalmologist, who recommended a special surgery to create eyelids. The surgery was followed by months of additional procedures and follow-up appointments. Throughout it all, Emma needed to stay in a foster home where she could rest and recover.

Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters nationwide to reach no-kill in 2025, and people who step up to foster pets, either with Best Friends or any animal shelter or rescue organization, play a vital part in reaching that goal.

[Adopter sees underdog kitten as a champ]

In her foster home, Emma received 24/7 care and lots of TLC. After her initial surgery, she needed frequent eyedrops. She allowed her foster volunteers to hold her like a baby while she calmly took the medicine (which was always followed by lovely neck scratches). She also had to wear a cone at all times to prevent her from scratching her eyes, but it didn’t stop her from playing with her toys and cuddling with her people.

When Emma’s healing journey was complete, it was time to say goodbye to her foster family and hello to adoption. Thanks to a team of caring people, at 7 years old, Emma’s future finally looks bright.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.