It’s a Christmas miracle!
Keta (pronounced KEE-ta) is a stray kitten who was found in October and brought to an Animal Care Centers of NYC location. But because of a massive tumor that consumed the left side of her face, she was deemed too high maintenance to care for and was set to be euthanized.
That’s when Kristin Livan, vice president of local nonprofit Unwanted NYC Pets, stepped in. The Brooklyn resident rescued Keta from the kill shelter on Oct. 24 and then set about raising money to fix her face.
After major surgery, the playful feline, whom the vet estimates is 8 to 10 months old, is now smiling again — and ready to be adopted by a lucky New Yorker.
Her against-the-odds rescue and recovery is a Christmastime tale (tail?) of compassion, generosity and the power of social media.
“The tumor was so large it popped out of the bottom of her mouth,” says Livan, who is the owner and operator of Tiny Tails Grooming in Bensonhurst. “I have seen a lot in my rescue career, and it was bad. It was jarring, very upsetting and very disturbing.”
Because of its size and location, the tumor jeopardized’s Keta’s ability to eat, see and breathe. Livan recalls Keta using the bulbous pink mass as a plate of sorts, scooping food onto it and licking it off. “We duct-taped her bowl to the floor so it wouldn’t go everywhere when she was scooping,” Livan tells The Post.
After testing determined that the tumor was benign, Livan used the nonprofit’s Facebook page (which has more than 12,300 followers) to share Keta’s story and raise almost all of the $3,800 needed for the removal surgery. Long Island-based vet Dr. Tomas Infernuso performed the procedure on Dec. 2.
Still, Livan wasn’t sure if Keta would be able to see or eat after the tumor was removed from her eye sockets, nasal cavity and mouth.
“We didn’t expect her to come out on top,” she says. “We thought half her face was going to be completely removed.”
Then, improbably, Keta woke up from surgery — which involved taking out part of her jaw — hungry. Her recovery was quick. Her scars healed. Her face, while a bit lopsided, is undeniably sweet.
“She was out of the hospital within five days, playing with toys, chasing things,” Livan says. “She’s very silly.”
Almost a month later, Keta is ready for adoption. And while Livan has, through Facebook, gotten interest from as far afield as Wisconsin, she would prefer to find Keta a home in or around New York City so that if Keta develops another tumor, for instance, her new family can enlist the help of Unwanted NYC Pets again.
“I don’t want to send her somewhere across the country where I can’t provide aftercare,” Livan adds.
Let’s just hope Keta’s Christmas present is a permanent home.