Local Woman Seeking Help to Save 'Stripey', Cat Who Won Her Heart

EAST QUOGUE, NY — An East Quogue woman is asking for help during the holiday season for a cat in need that's won her heart.

Leslie Kappel set up a GoFundMe page, "Saving Stripey", that's raised $500 of its $1,100 goal so far.

"Stripey is a feral kitty at one of the colonies that I care for. He was missing for a few days and came back dragging his leg. I was able to catch him and took him to the vet. He was X-rayed and not only did he have a severely broken left hind leg. the right hind leg was out of the socket," she wrote.

Much to her amazement, Stripey allowed the poking and prodding and didn't need sedation, Kappel said.

But, she said, Stripey needs surgery to have the badly broken leg amputated, and to have the other leg, which is out of the socket, repaired. He would also need six months of physical therapy, and to become an "inside only" cat, Kappel said.

"Stripey had been at the vet for several days at this point and was a little timid, but a perfect patient," she said. "He knew he was being helped and obviously wanted to be saved. If he bit, scratched and wasn't tolerant of being handled, he would have to be euthanized. He was being so good. I knew we had to try everything to save him and that he could be adoptable as someone's pet when he was ready."

So far, she said, it's been more than a week since Stripey's surgery. "He's been absolutely, amazingly sweet," she wrote. "He loves to be held, pet, purrs when I do his therapy and loves to snuggle! I'm so happy that he was given a second chance and it was because of him being so relaxed and trusting that we were able to save him."

Any donations to pay his vet bill would be hugely appreciated, Kappel said; no amount is too small.

"I already have a loving home for him when he's 'up on his feet', literally. Love this boy!" Kappel said.

To donate to Stripey, click here.