“As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be an indoor kitty. From the mean backyards of the burbs, living inside livingroomlions house.” Stray Liotta

Stray Liotta was a stray cat who used to visit the backyard of a house with 4 indoor cats named Egg, Mewbox, Michonne & Dr. Loomis. These indoor cats are lovingly called LivingRoom Lions by their humans. When Stray was found making appearances around the house, the humans decided to try and bring him in and introduce him to the ‘lions’. It took months of hard work that together make a story fit for a Disney movie. When Stray finally made it to a vet, he was found FIV and FeLV positive. That’s when NHV came into the picture.

NHV is a part of the transformation this famous cat on Twitter is making, every new day. As he discovers the joy of being a cat living indoors with a family to call his own, he is also fighting FIV and FeLV.

We have so much of his story to tell. But nobody can tell it better than Stray Liotta himself, like a cat on Twitter.

So here’s Stray Liotta’s story in his own words

Let’s start with the first time I met a human. I was lounging on the back porch. When we spotted each other thru the window. I quickly ran off.

The next day I came back to the smell of food on the porch. But wouldn’t go near it till the human was inside. Couldn’t watch me out the window either, or I’d run. This went on for a few weeks.

Then the human decided to build me a shelter. The #Feralinn.

At first, I layed on the extra hay for the inn instead of in the inn.

That didn’t last long tho. It was dope and mine. My first possession.

Then came Twitter. My very first tweet. “Checking out my new landlord”

Soon I started hanging out around the yard more and more. But would still run whenever I saw the human.

Next, the human added me an eatin station. This action got me staying in the inn almost every night. Had to guard my food.

One day I started not running when I saw the human. As long as there was a distance between us.

Wet food eventually got withheld until I was outside. This lead to me allowing the human to dine with me. Stay back tho!

Then the touching started. I wasn’t having that sh*t.

So human deployed different tactics. This was the day I learned about grilled chicken. This day is important. Set my future in motion.

Every day the human would come outside with a little chicken. (It made a big bag and kept in the fridge) Eventually, I got to where I was waiting for it. The touching was still happening, still wasn’t having that sh*t.

What I didn’t notice, was my chicken was moving every day. Until one day it was in the laundry room. WTF. Took a bit but I ran in got it and left.

This started happening every day. Then I started getting used to it. Door would open I’d come in.

Next my meals got moved inside. Was strange, but I was hungry. Still no touching or sudden movements.What I didn’t notice, was my meals were moving farther into the laundry room every day. Still the touching was happening, wasn’t having it.

Then one night, I wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Decided I’d take a short nap. This started happening more and more.

One-day Amazon came and brought me my very first package from @Pizzapuff15. There was a bed. And I loved it. For the next week I ate dinner and napped on it every night. Then……

Out of the blue, I decided to try a human touch. It was awesome! From this moment on. Every night I expected Food, pets, and a nap in the laundry room.

My visits started getting longer and longer. We’d sit together and watch tv. Sometimes I’d spent the night. Human had a cot and would stay with me.

Now my story turns a little dark for a bit. I went missing for several days. Human searched for me with no luck. Then one night I showed back up. Human wanted to see if I’d wear a collar. I did no problem. But….The human thought I went missing cause I was off chasing cat tail. But over the next 2 days was clear there was something wrong. Really wrong. Human now believes I was somewhere too sick to get here but did come back for help.

And I was given it. Didn’t even fight it. Went and saw my first vet.

Turns out I was anemic, FIV+ and FeLV. Was 6lbs and so sick. Was told I didn’t have long. Human brought me home and took me to a big cage in the craft room.

After this diagnosis, Everyone of you was so incredible and started sending me foods and toys. Was amazing.

Not many know this part. Was not tweeted. A few days later. I started bleeding badly from my eyes, nose and mouth. That’s when human took me to another vet. They said I had a few days at best and said could try antibiotics if I want. But they felt was a waste. Human took.

After a few very scary days, I started to improve. No more bleeding. Was up and eating better. Human took me back to the vet. They were shocked. Human wanted to have my face looked at and my other issues. They said nothing we can do and sent me home.

Human kept seeing me show improvements every day, but was still so sick. Saw a 3rd vet. Again “nothing we can” but it didn’t give up. With the help of @danahaviland we found Dr. Parker….

We made an appointment. This was me when I met her. “I expected to see a different cat when I came in here according to his paperwork” She saw me and not my paperwork.

I had so many tests done. In the end, my biggest problem was out of control bacterial infection, caused by ear mites. Was on my face, and spread throughout my body. They scraped my face and sent me with strong meds. And I started taking supplements from @NHVNaturalPet

Everyday I was getting stronger and healthier. Gaining weight, each blood test showing improvement until 1 day I was no longer anemic. Then I got my first vaccine. I lived in the craft room now.

Then I got a screen door so I could look out.

Then came a step I was told would never be able to happen. The day I lost Deez Nutz. Twitter was very happy about it. Whatever weird.

Now that I was nut-free and no longer contagious. I got a dope jacket and started having visits to the rest of the house. I was nervous at first and always wanted to be able to see my room.

Which leads to jacket-free visits.

Now I have run of the house. I still sleep in my room at night and when no one is home. But I do now get to sleep with the humans on a rotation with the @livingroomlions.

Well that’s it, folks. My year. Thanks for your support of my journey, from leaf pile to cat beds. Remember to #LeaveACan you never know what could happen. Here’s to many more adventures to come. P.S. me now 12.21lbs, happy.

Isn’t it a lovely story of transformation? And Stray Liotta has such a gangsta style of tweeting too! ☺️

Cat Community Of Twitter

In the last one year or more, Stray’s story has stood out as a great example of the love that exists between the cat community on Twitter.

After the initial vet visit when his humans found out he was FIV and FeLV positive, they wanted Stray Liotta to get started on the FIV kit. He would also need a parasite to cleanse. When the humans reached out to the Twitter community, they were blown over by the kind of support they got. Everyone wanted to support this rescue cat.

His fans that adored him wanted to donate items from their Amazon list, and wow was that a success!

Stray Liotta received boxes and boxes of NHV supplements

After everything he’s been through, he deserves it and so much more

After receiving an abundance of boxes filled with goodies, his luck just kept going when he won a pet camera with NHV’s #SecretLifeofPetDads Contest.

Health Progress

When he was rescued, he was a tiny boy, weighing 8lbs, so they fed him kitten food to bring his weight up.

Multi Essentials provided him with some extra nutrition. In addition to the multivitamin, he began Felimm, Inulin PK, and BK-Detox to cleanse his body and start the healing process.

Along the journey of his recovery, his humans told us that now the doctors are concerned about Stray facing anemia, kidney infection, and skin infection. To help with anemia, the most effective support is a good diet. However, in addition to eating well, our Multi Essentials provides extra vitamins and minerals, helping to fill any nutritional voids. Our Pet Experts recommended that Stray increase the dosage of his supplements for some extra support.

The skin infection had caused him to lose patches of fur on his cheeks so we got him started on the All Clear Ointment. The ointment helps clear skin infections, soothes irritations, and supports the healing of dry, red, and flaky skin.

Soon his cheeks were all healed and his RBC looked good. But he now had a respiratory infection and his dose of NHV Felimm needed to be increased.

According to scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds, and whatever else the rest of his organs look really good and there’s no sign of cancer.

But the biggest news is how well he is doing besides that. RBC up. (Which other vets said could not be done) His face is healing well. No more signs of bacterial infection. Overall both his vet and dermatologist were amazed at his progress.

In his own doctor’s words,

Not only is his progress amazing, he looks amazing.

It’s an amazing thing! From a cat in June underweight and sick, told he had a week to live. To this in August, fussy house cat demanding things!

RECENT UPDATE

Stray’s FeLV went into remission and he tested negative for it! He now weighs almost 12 lbs and we couldn’t be happier.

He’s doing very well. Still takes his supplements every day like a good boy. And now he gets out and about around the rest of the house when I’m home. He’s very happy. His cheeks are all better. All his fur is back, and he now has the widest head I’ve ever seen on a cat.

Definitely acts like a little monkey. He’s fun tho. Now that he is feeling better he wants to do everything. And it’s all new to him so it’s like having a big kitten.

It’s March and Stray is fat, healthy, and happy. He was never supposed to see July. He hasn’t seen the vet since November! He was going almost once a week for months.

NHV is so happy to be part of this cat’s big move – from a pile of leaves to a comfy bed. Most stray cats are often termed feral if they look a little aggressive. And many FIV and FeLV kitties have turned down a chance at a healthy normal life. Stray Liotta is an example for all cat lovers out there. Don’t hesitate to rescue a stray or adopt an FIV kitty. If you put your mind to it, you can make things happen. There really is nothing a little love and some herbal TLC can’t fix!

We are happy to be on his integrative vet team.

Want to ‘STRAY’ tuned to his adventures? Follow him here @StrayLiotta