I constantly worry about the well-being of my rescue cat Beans. He likes to roam around our backyard and as a cat mom, I can’t help but worry about potential danger lurking around.

When I first heard about Journey, the cat from today’s story, I realized that even an innocent walk around the backyard could be fatal.

Journey, an adorable tuxedo cat, spent most of his life on the streets of Riverside, California. While the poor soul was searching for food, something happened to him and changed the course of his life forever…

Rescue agents found Journey one day and the poor soul was in a desperate state. He had a big growth on the bridge of his nose and the rescuers were sure it was a tumor. 

The lump was so big, that the poor thing couldn’t even breathe through his nose. Worried, the rescuers rushed him to the shelter all in the hope they could help him.

However, since they thought the growth was cancerous they immediately put him on the euthanasia list. Poor Journey was now awaiting his final moments.

Luckily, the shelter posted a picture of him on their site and a kind-hearted woman soon reached out to them. 

Lucille was completely heartbroken when she saw Journey’s photo. She wanted to adopt him and make sure he got all the help he needed. 

She immediately brought him to the animal hospital and soon found out it wasn’t a tumor growing on his nose. The poor boy was fighting a dangerous fungal infection called cryptococcosis.

According to Cornell University, this fungal infection is caused when a cat inhales the dangerous spores of the fungal cryptococcosis gatti or neoformans species complex.

This infection can cause difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and even problems with balance. However, when not treated on time it can even attack the cat’s brain.

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Objavu dijeli Journey (@journey_thestoryofacat)

The vet told Lucille that treatment was possible, but it would be a long and hard road for both of them.

Lucille was ready to take on this challenge and provide Journey the life he deserved. As she shared in an update:

“This disease will take up to a year for complete recovery. It isn’t contagious to other animals. The growth on the bridge of his nose has decreased. Sneezing has slowed also.”

Over the next year, brave Journey fought his infection while his forever mom showered him with love. Although they had a few setbacks, his nose growth became significantly smaller!

Since his medication was causing a loss of appetite, his mom Lucille had to make sure he was gaining weight and eating properly.

Almost two years after Lucille saved Journey, the growth on his nose was almost gone. However, he still wasn’t completely cured, as Lucille shared in a post:

“Last week he received a Blood Titer test. This tells us how far his cryptococcosis has come to being cured. When he was rescued his blood titer was over 30,000. It is now 32. In order to be considered cured he needs a titer test of ZERO !!! Journey is in the home stretch of leaving cryptococcosis behind him.”

Although he still has a long road ahead, brave Journey defied the odds together with his mom Lucille. 

Make sure to follow Journey’s recovery over on Instagram where his mom posts updates and adorable pictures!