“Angel After the Fall” Photograph © Catshope™
Angel — The Night She Fell
Angel used to trill and sing. She would swing gently in her hammock, sunbathe and make her little sounds. With Mimi and Tara, she had her own affectionate ways—even giving them gentle back massages.
She was active, too. She liked to climb and jump, and the top of the cage was one of her familiar places.
By then, Tami’s babies were growing big. Bored kittens with busy teeth, they had been chewing the protective window mesh. The barrier meant to keep the cats inside had been damaged.
That night, Angel got outside.
It was about half past two in the morning when my son went to the toilet. The sudden light startled her. Outside the window, she tried to turn around and come back in.
Reaching her meant getting past the mesh, the window grille and the window itself. We could not reach her in time.
Angel fell five floors and struck a flowerpot.
Finding Angel
We searched for her for about two hours. She had crawled to the side of the building, where we eventually found her.
The relief was enormous. She was alive. Our much-loved Angel was still with us.
Her ankle was broken. She needed surgery, but first we had to find the money.
A Few Hours Too Late
The surgery cost about $6,000, with a large portion required upfront. We returned with the funds that same evening, only hours after the veterinary consultation. By then, the available surgery slots had been booked. Angel faced a further two-week wait.
We had found the money that day, but we were still too late to secure her operation.
We worried that the delay might leave her injured leg shortened and affect the way she walked. Fortunately, Angel was not affected in that way.
The vet fitted a metal plate and a wire to repair her ankle. A second operation later removed them.
But her recovery took many months.
“Resting Through Recovery” Photograph © Catshope™
The Angel Who Came Home
As she recovered, we saw how much the fall had changed her.
When other cats jumped around her, Angel became worried and nervous, afraid that they might hurt her foot. Movement that had once been part of their play now made her wary.
She no longer trilled and sang as she had before. The gentle back massages stopped too.
She remained a loving, active cat. She still had affection to give and places she wanted to explore. But she was more anxious about the movement around her, protective of the foot that had caused her so much pain.
We were grateful to have her home. We also missed those little sounds and gestures that had been so much a part of her. Her ankle healed, but her confidence around the other cats never quite returned to what it had been.
Why Emergency Funds Matter
Angel’s experience is part of why CatsHope™ seeks to raise funds for emergency veterinary needs.
Many owners and caregivers do not have thousands of dollars available at short notice, or insurance to cover treatment. They may love their animals deeply and be ready to care for them, yet still need time to raise the money.
We know what it feels like to have a much-loved cat needing an operation while trying to find a large upfront payment. In Angel’s case, we returned with the funds on the day of the consultation. Even so, those few hours became another two weeks waiting for surgery.
CatsHope™ aims to help bridge that gap—to support cats and their caregivers when urgent medical needs exceed the funds they have available.
The expenses are only one part of what follows an accident. There is also the recovery: months of care, watching how a cat moves, and noticing what has changed.
The Protection We Had Put in Place
We had installed mesh to keep the cats safe. But as Tami’s kittens grew bigger, they chewed and damaged it. Angel found a way outside.
Her story is a reminder to keep checking that protection, especially as kittens grow and begin chewing or testing their surroundings. A barrier that was secure before can become damaged.
That night, we could see Angel outside the window, but the mesh, grille and window prevented us from reaching her quickly enough. Then came the fall, the search, and the enormous relief of finding her alive.
She is still our loving, active Angel. But we remember the cat who sang in her hammock and gently massaged her companions’ backs—and how one night changed her life.
Article by Tiffany Argent, CatsHope™ Ambassador
Story © CatsHope™
“Still Our Angel” Photograph © Catshope™
Continue Angel’s story
Earlier in Angel’s Story: Angel — Learning to Belong
Next in Angel’s Story: Angel — From the Jaws of Death
