Stevie, a six-week-old kitten, recently came under Hemza’s care. He’s a mix of yellowish-brownish, and Henza describes the cat as playful. At first glance, Stevie seems to be a normal cat that you would see anywhere.
But Henza learned that wasn’t quite the case when she took him to the VCA-County West Animal Hospital in Kankakee. Stevie had been born without eyelids. He is not able to blink or close his eyes. And he needs to squint to block out excess light.
“Stevie’s eyes would just get drier and drier. He would rub them. It would be a matter of time until he couldn’t see anymore,” explains Henza,
Luckily for Stevie, he came to be fostered by pet parents Joelle Warwick and Samantha Rich. Warwick and Rich are very caring. They apply drops to Stevie’s eyes every three to four hours. Stevie patiently lets them do what they need to do and quickly goes back to playing after receiving his eye drops.
A surgery intended to repair Stevie’s eyelids would certainly give him a chance at a recovery, but the surgery is rare and expensive. Luckily for Stevie, a surgeon at Purdue is willing to do the procedure at a good rate for the surgery.
“They gave us a real good price, but we still need to raise some money,” explained Hemza. “People who love cats or people who know what it’s like to have eye problems can just donate to Sunrise Center Animal Rescue. The surgery is set for Dec. 8, and we’re going to need almost $1,000.”
Stevie will continue to receive his treatments with Warwick and Rich until his surgery date arrives. If all goes well, Stevie could have a chance to learn what it’s like to have eyelids. Once he’s fully recovered, Stevie will be put up for adoption, like all of the other cats which Hemza rescues.
What a handsome fellow he as, as anyone can plainly see!