In Memory of Arnold 12/09/2015 – 10/15/2026
Arnold came to us from the streets in South Austin after a local TNR group discovered him in a colony and found a very large tumor in his ear. They knew he needed extra help right away, and Shadow Cats was able to assist, getting him immediate surgery to remove and test the tumor. Thankfully, the tumor had come back negative for cancer, but unfortunately, this sweet and goofy boy had tested positive for FIV and had bad asthma.
We quickly discovered that instead of a normal purr, Arnold would trill like a pigeon when happy. We thought it was due to his asthma at first, but later learned that he actually had Laryngeal Paralysis, meaning one of his vocal cords was paralyzed and did not open when he breathed, causing the unique sound. Neither the laryngeal paralysis nor his asthma slowed him down though, and he was very playful the first couple of years he was with us.
He was constantly running on the wall shelves or hanging out on top of the condo, making quite the racket with his clumsy nature and being a bigger boy! He also loved being outside listening to the birds and had the best napping positions. His favorite way to chill out in the summer was his famous sploot! Many of our staff have camera rolls full of him lying on his tummy with his back feet stretched behind him.
Arnold might’ve been a loner with other cats, but he soaked up human attention. It was so hard to take a good photo of him because he just wanted to come and rub up against you if you even looked his way.
As he got older, Arnold started to slow down, and he was moved into Oasis. We knew that between the asthma and laryngeal paralysis, he couldn’t breathe as deeply as a normal cat, and with his age he just didn’t have the energy he used to. He still enjoyed life, lounging around listening to the birds outside on the catio or watching his beloved cat TV indoors.
In his last few months, we started to have a feeling something had changed, but all of our normal diagnostics didn’t show anything that would cause the difference in his behavior. Then, one day after an emergency vet visit, we had them check his laryngeal paralysis. Unfortunately, the imaging showed why he had this emergency, and we knew it was time to let him pass in peace. With one last sploot, Arnold made the crossing surrounded by the staff who loved and cared for him so much.
Thank you to Arnold’s sponsors, Kevin and Mitzi C, as well as Steven and Joan P. Thank you to the amazing volunteers and staff who loved and cared for him dearly. Thank you to Vista Vet for the wonderful care he received. And thank you to everyone who loved Arnold, whether in person or from afar.
Now that Arnold is on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, we know he can finally breathe fully, and he can run around to his heart’s content. We love you, our sweet Arnold, and we always will.
Arnold had 2 Sponsors
Kevin and Mitzi Clark
Steven and Joan Paine