BALTIMORE — Walnut has been through a lot. At 8 years old, the cat ended up at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, or BARCS, and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which stopped her from being adoptable.
Laura Cassiday with Chesapeake Cats and Dogs rescued her and got her thyroid under control, but she found multiple mammary masses during her spay, and things took another downward turn.
But Walnut is a fighter and a survivor. She recently underwent a bilateral mastectomy to remove the cancer from her body and prevent it from spreading. She’s not out of the woods yet, and her cancer could always come back, which is why she’s looking for someone who understands what she’s been through.
"She takes an inexpensive (about $10 a month) pill twice a day to keep her thyroid in check. She’ll eat it right out of her food, no issues! She is an affectionate lap cat and would love nothing more than cuddling the day away with you ... to go through so much and then receive a cancer diagnosis on top of it all would be devastating to almost anyone," Cassiday said. "Walnut has taken it in stride, appreciating every day and living her life to the fullest."
Walnut is located in Baltimore and her adoption fee is waived to a fellow cancer survivor.
"She thinks it would be great to have a partner in life who understands her, so they can cheer each other on ... she’s already unstoppable — imagine how the two of you would be together!" Cassiday added.
Cassiday said Walnut would be best as the only animal in her forever home and would do OK with older kids. To learn more about adopting Walnut, click here.
This story was originally published by Abby Isaacs on WMAR.
