Please help Rusty through tail amputation surgery.
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Final update · October 13, 2026
Because of your support, Rusty received the surgery, pain relief, and weeks of care he desperately needed—and he has healed beautifully.
Unfortunately, Rusty has not become a friendly house cat. He is still a very feral boy, and after weeks with us, he has made one thing pretty clear: he wants to go back outside.
So we are listening to him.
Rusty will now return to the only home he knows, with time to acclimate again before the colder weather arrives. He has been gifted a brand-new shelter, and the family will provide food, water, and shelter and keep a close eye on him.
We are grateful that when Rusty needed help, we were able to give it to him.
That is your work in action. Your support allows us to say yes to cats like Rusty—friendly or feral, adoptable or not—because every cat deserves relief from pain, medical care and the chance to live the life that is right for them.
Happy healing, Rusty. Now go run free and enjoy your freedom.
About this campaign
Rusty was found outside with a devastating injury—his bleeding tail was completely degloved, leaving exposed tissue and causing unimaginable pain.
A Pathway to Hope doesn’t know what happened to Rusty or how long he had been surviving this way, but they know for certain that the only treatment is amputation of the damaged portion of his tail.
Rusty is feral, and cats like him have so few options when they are injured. There may not be a family waiting at home for him or someone to notice when something is wrong. But Rusty’s pain matters just as much. His life matters just as much.
A Pathway to Hope has stepped in to give Rusty the chance he deserves. He will need surgery, pain medication, and veterinary care while he begins to recover.
️Please help cover Rusty’s emergency medical care. Any amount will help get him through surgery and give this scared boy the best possible chance at healing.
Thank you for giving hope to the animals who have nowhere else to turn.
- Location
- Hawthorne, NJ • A Pathway to Hope
- Species:
- Cat
- Breed:
- Mix-Breed
- Age:
- 2 years old
- Sex:
- Male