Ilene, a small tabby cat, born blind in California, was given a chance at life thanks to the Oregon Humane Society. When a kind soul found Ilene in Madera, California, she screamed for help after being left in a pile of trash during a rainstorm.
The good Samaritan who found her took her to a local animal shelter, where it was discovered that she had a condition called microphthalmia in both eyes.
Because of this condition, Ilene’s blindness would have been permanent if she hadn’t received surgery from the Oregon Humane Society. OHS vet Dr. Maya Titcomb said of Ilene’s eyes:
“It’s likely that she has a condition called microphthalmia in both eyes and was already blind. This condition is usually congenital, so she was likely born without fully developed eyes.”
Anna Lundin and her three children arrived at OHS several hours before the doors were scheduled to open. They had a specific goal in mind to adopt Ilene, the kitten.
Since Ilene had just hit the news, Anna knew that they would need to be first in line if they wanted any chance of adopting her. She said: “When we saw her story on the news, it broke our hearts. It was the children who decided that we needed to adopt her. They wanted to shower her with love and give her a family.”
Anna and her children have been caring for puppies and kittens that need extra healing for almost a year. They are familiar with the required care, as they have taken care of bottle babies, puppies recovering from surgery, and animals too young.
