Boxelder was found in a metal scrap yard surrounded by other cats, but was the sole survivor. We took Boxelder under our wing and made the promise we make to every cat we save… “you’re safe now, and will receive all the care you need.”
He clung to life, though his injuries were as devastating as they come. He’d suffered a diaphragmatic hernia, a broken pelvis, a broken femur, and his intestines and colon had shifted and wrapped around his lungs. He was a cat whose body seemed almost impossibly broken, yet his will to live was unshakable.
When we brought him to the vet, they were stunned. After assessing his injuries and the extent of the surgeries he would need, our veterinarian said, “He shouldn’t be alive.” But, against all odds, Boxelder had survived the impossible.
For most animals, injuries this severe would lead a shelter to let them go. However, at Paws and Claws Cat Rescue, we give cats like Boxelder—who fight so hard to survive—a fighting chance. We constantly evaluated his quality of life, but his purring and eagerness for affection told us he wasn't ready to give up. So neither were we.
Over the course of several months, Boxelder underwent multiple surgeries. First, doctors carefully repaired his broken bones, setting his femur and stabilizing his fragile pelvis. Next came a major exploratory surgery to gently place his organs back where they belonged. Each minute of his recovery was critical, and with each passing day, Boxelder defied the odds stacked against him.
Boxelder waking up from his exploratory surgery on October 22, immediately begging for affection.
When he returned to Paws and Claws, he was on cage rest for 14 days. Staff and volunteers took turns watching him closely, offering gentle words of encouragement as he slowly, miraculously, began to heal. He greeted our team with soft eyes, as though he knew he was safe at last.
His resilience inspired everyone who met him, but his journey touched countless others who hadn’t. We shared Boxelder’s story with our supporters online and messages poured in. As he slowly regained his strength, he was helping others heal parts of themselves too. There was something about him, his quiet bravery and gentle spirit, that seemed to bridge worlds.
At Paws and Claws, we’ve always believed that every cat has a story worth telling, a life worth saving. Through Boxelder, our community grew closer, connected by a shared belief in the value of each life and the courage it takes to keep fighting. This collective support was Boxelder’s safety net, helping us fund his surgeries, his ICU care, and his daily needs as he healed.
In Boxelder’s presence, it’s easy to forget the struggle he endured. He has become known around Paws and Claws as “the sweetest boy who ever did live”—a gentle, comforting spirit whose story will always be a part of our mission. To us, he is a warrior—a reminder of what is possible when we give every cat a fighting chance. His story stands as proof that miracles are possible when there’s someone willing to believe that each life, no matter how small, is worth saving.
After weeks of cage rest, Boxy moved into one of our free-roaming rooms and immediately became best friends with his new roommate, Geraldine.