________________________________________ Cardamom’s Story Begins Here — with an Email from Her Rescuer Email ________________________________________ Subject Request for Help for Severely Injured Neighborhood Stray ________________________________________ I am reaching out in hopes that you may be able to help with a very special cat who came into our lives under heartbreaking circumstances. For several months, a neighborhood stray had been coming around my house occasionally. About a week ago, she suddenly appeared in severe distress — badly injured, unable to close her mouth, and smelling strongly of infection. Based on previous sounds of fighting in the area and her visible wounds, I believe she was attacked by another stray. Her mouth was significantly injured, she had wounds on her face, and she was clearly very ill. Despite her condition, she showed incredible resilience. Over the course of that week, with warmth, safety, and basic at-home care, she began to improve. She eventually became able to eat hard kibble again, her facial wounds healed considerably, and her sweet, affectionate personality began to shine through — though her left eye remained very goopy, and her mouth injury was still clearly severe. A neighbor mentioned that he has seen her around the area for at least a year or two. Given her injuries and history, I strongly suspect that she may be FIV-positive. She has become very friendly and loving, and while I would love to take her in myself, I already have a cat and simply do not have the financial means to provide the medical care she desperately needs. I will be attaching photos so you can see the extent of her mouth injury — and also because she is a beautiful, sweet girl. We have been calling her Bumper Car. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any help or guidance you may be able to offer. ________________________________________ From there, Cardamom’s path changed. Her rescuer was able to provide indoor shelter, warmth, and loving care until Crash’s Rescue could accept her into the program on December 8th. Once in care, it became clear that this delicate, approximately 2½-year-old girl (born summer 2023) had suffered major trauma — most likely being struck by a car — resulting in a fractured lower jaw. Because the fracture had been left to heal on its own for several weeks, surgical repair proved challenging. It ultimately required two surgical attempts to achieve acceptable alignment of her mandibular bones. While the repair is not perfect, Cardamom now eats heartily and comfortably. Her slightly off-center jaw and gently prominent lip only add to her charm. Originally called Bumper Car, her name was later changed to Cardamom — a name chosen with intention. Like the spice, she is complex, versatile, and quietly powerful. It also reflects the strong likelihood that she was once a young mother, surviving the streets while caring for others. Cardamom is an independent soul who values her personal space but can be deeply sweet and affectionate on her own terms. She has the softest coat, a gentle presence, and a quiet strength that makes her impossible not to love. She would thrive best in a calm, quiet home with no small children, where her boundaries will be respected. Stress affects her by causing an inflammatory bladder condition known as Feline Idiopathic Cystitis; she currently doesn’t need medical management for this, but as you can appreciate, we’d love to get her into a home of her own so her entire body can fully bounce back from all that she has endured.