I saw a Garfield cat abandoned on the roadside that night.
It is called Frost Frost and is a stray Garfield cat discovered by volunteers from “Hello Api” near the entrance of the community.
The first encounter with Shuangshuang is very familiar, and her fur color is also very recognizable. She is a cute and beautiful little girl.
Poor her, completely unguarded, although abandoned, she still chooses to believe in humanity. With a call, the cat tilted its head and brain, running quickly towards the volunteers.
At present, I see a cat covered in fleas, with injuries all over its body and scratch marks on its back near its neck. As a relative, she has been mercilessly thrown by children with objects and chased by branches
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In addition to the injuries on its body, the cat also has a blood hole on its neck, which is estimated to have been bitten while wandering, accompanied by a large amount of purulent discharge. The volunteers couldn’t help but tremble in their hearts
According to insiders, Frost was originally a pet store used for breeding cats. Because Frost had a defect in its appearance, it was discarded by the pet store after giving birth to three children, which is why it became a little vagrant.
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In order to express friendliness and goodwill, the volunteer took out a prepared jar and tried to give her food. She, who had no independent survival ability, must have been starving. Faced with the small jar, she started eating without hesitation.
In this way, the volunteer easily led her into the cat bag with a can of food.
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After examination, a large number of inflammatory cells were found on the frosty skin, as well as obvious signs of bacterial phagocytosis. The conjunctiva of the eyes was red and swollen, and there was a small amount of secretion from the eyes and nose.
The doctor also found a mass in the abdominal cavity during palpation. After abdominal ultrasound examination, due to Garfield’s genes,
Make both sides of Shuangshuang’s kidneys polycystic at the same time.
How scary is polycystic kidney disease? Just show everyone a picture and you’ll know ↓
Normal kidney on the left, polycystic kidney on the right
Simply put, it is due to congenital genetic defects that cause cysts inside the kidneys.
As people age, these cysts will gradually grow and invade normal kidney structures, leading to gradual loss of kidney function and ultimately resulting in kidney failure and death.
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Up to now, Mr. Cute Claw has learned from the official account “hello A Pai” that Shuangshuang’s condition has entered the recovery stage.
It is often said that Garfield cats are relatively difficult to raise, not only because they have a higher probability of illness, but also because of genetic diseases that their owners cannot prevent.
//Why are Garfield cats more susceptible to genetic diseases?
Garfield, scientific name: exotic short haired cat. Around 1960, American breeders mated American Shorthair cats with Persian cats, which were recognized as a new breed by CFA in 1966.
In the process of breeding exotic short haired cats, humans have repeatedly pursued a “flat face”, leading to their increasingly deformed bones.
And this excessive purification in breeding is the fundamental reason for the high incidence of genetic diseases in exotic short haired cats.
Image source | Journal of Feline and Surgery
What’s even more frightening is that the incurable polycystic kidney disease just mentioned is just one of the genetic diseases in Garfield cats.
//The Terrifying Genetic Disease of Foreign Shorthair Cats
- Short head syndrome
Manifested as narrow nostrils, elongated soft palate, underdeveloped trachea, and inverted laryngeal sac, the severity depends on the degree of facial flattening.
▌ Difficulty breathing
Narrow nostrils and slender soft palate can restrict airflow, leading to difficulty breathing, snoring during sleep, and even the need to open the mouth to breathe after intense exercise.
response plan
Surgery to shorten the long soft palate and enlarge the nostrils improves the efficiency of each breath, alleviates symptoms, and improves breathing.
The left image shows a normal cat skull, and the right image shows a short headed cat skull
Facial skin inflammation, dirty face, accompanied by deep tear marks
This is because their short nasal cavity compresses the nasolacrimal duct, causing it to narrow or even block.
Excess tears keep the skin around the eyes moist and prone to bacterial growth, leading to skin infections in the folds around the nose and face, and even chronic inflammation of the eyes.
Response plan: Keep your face clean and use a mild diluted disinfectant to wipe it off.
▌ Dysphagia+dental disease
Due to congenital cultivation, shortened oral cavity, jaw deformities, and abnormal occlusion of upper and lower teeth (commonly known as overbite) can make it difficult for foreign Shorthair cats to pick up food and have difficulty eating.
Response plan: Special sloping bowl, suitable cat food.
- Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
I have discussed this disease before, so I won’t go into too much detail here. I will mainly talk about the coping plan: it cannot be cured unless a kidney transplant is performed.
To put it simply, every day can be delayed. Once kidney failure occurs, conventional methods are generally used to delay the progression of chronic kidney disease. It is recommended to undergo PKD gene testing as soon as possible. If PKD genes are present, regular or medical examinations should be conducted as prescribed.
Cats carrying the PKD gene should not be used for reproduction!!!
- Eyelid hypoplasia
Part of Garfield’s eyelids may exhibit eyelid abnormalities at birth, which cannot effectively protect the cornea.
It can also cause damage to the cornea, leading to ulcers, scars, and in severe cases, perforation or blindness.
In addition, the lack of water in the eyes and stimulation from foreign objects can lead to the development of corneal ulcers and scar tissue, ultimately resulting in partial or complete blindness.
Response plan: In mild cases, eye lubricants and cryosurgery can be used to remove irritating eyelashes.
It is usually recommended that cats with underdeveloped conditions undergo eyelid reconstruction surgery. Once healed, the new eyelids will function normally.
- Heart disease
Divided into primary genetic diseases and secondary heart damage, the most common form is myocardial hypertrophy.
The usual symptoms include shortness of breath, drowsiness, loss of appetite, and lack of exercise.
Most exotic short haired cats suffer from many genetic health problems and lifelong suffering, which is precisely caused by human pursuit of excessive purification.
In order to purify and breed, and even get close to reproduction, without considering the accumulated disease gene problems, the disease is passed down from generation to generation simply because someone is willing to pay the price.
The Garfield Frostbite, who gave birth to three children at the beginning but was eventually discarded, is the most typical sacrifice in this tragic pattern.
Mengzhujun would like to say to you, who have become a short shovel official:
Even if the feeding process is tiring, even if you wash your face and eyes every day, even if they have serious genetic diseases, please take them to see a doctor when they get sick, take good care of them, try to alleviate their pain, and never abandon them.
Finally, we call on everyone to adopt pets scientifically and support adoption instead of purchasing.
Thank you for spreading this article and letting more people know that many times, love is not about having, but about giving up.