Who will Wanda be when she isn’t hurting anymore?
Wanda is a tiny fighter.
At just one year old, she had already experienced motherhood and survived life as a community cat living in a colony in Northeast Las Vegas. She had also been living with a severely damaged and painful eye.
Her story began at an auto shop, where community cat caretaker Ryan and others started trapping cats in the area. Ryan has spent the past four years trapping and helping community cats, and he became Wanda’s primary caretaker.
The first cats they encountered were two kittens in rough shape who had been left by their mother in the middle of the road.
About a week later, they trapped Wanda.
After her examination at Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, our team determined that Wanda was likely the mother of those two kittens, based on her post-queening examination, an exam performed after a cat gives birth, and her coloring.
And Wanda’s story isn’t the only one with a happy update. The two kittens she was believed to be the mother of remain with Ryan and are doing well.
But Wanda had another battle ahead of her.
The two kittens Wanda was believed to be the mother of, now safe with Ryan and doing well.
Wanda’s Painful Eye
When Wanda arrived at HCWS, the team discovered that her left eye was severely ulcerated and painful. She could not see out of the eye, and it was no longer functioning.
The cause of the damage is unknown. What the veterinary team did know was that Wanda was in pain.
Because the eye was no longer providing vision and was causing her significant discomfort, Dr. Younanian determined that removing it was the best option.
As Dr. Younanian explained:
“Better to have no eye than an eye that hurts.”
For Wanda, enucleation, the surgical removal of an eye, wasn't about changing how she looked. It was about removing a source of discomfort and giving her the opportunity to heal.
Wanda is gently examined and prepared for surgery to remove her painful, nonfunctional left eye.
What Is an Enucleation?
An enucleation is a surgical procedure to remove an eye that is severely damaged, painful, infected, or otherwise no longer able to function. For Wanda, her left eye was no longer providing vision and was causing significant discomfort. Her remaining eye is expected to provide normal vision. During the procedure, Dr. Younanian also placed mesh in the space where Wanda's eye had been. Once an eye is removed, that space is naturally hollow. While the mesh isn't required for the procedure itself, Dr. Younanian prefers to use it to help maintain the shape of the area and prevent a sunken appearance as the area heals. Wanda's eye is currently stitched closed. Once she has fully healed, the area should appear much like a naturally closed eye.
What does life look like for a cat after an eye enucleation?
Cats are remarkably adaptable, and most adjust well to life with one eye after recovering from surgery. They may experience some changes to depth perception or have a blind spot on the side where the eye was removed, but their remaining vision and other senses help them navigate their surroundings. For Wanda, the surgery did not take away useful vision from her left eye because that eye was already nonfunctional. Instead, it removed an eye that was causing significant discomfort. For her, healing means learning what life feels like without that source of discomfort.
Wanda’s Surgery and Recovery
After her initial visit, Wanda returned to us for surgery. During that first visit, we spayed her and discovered the condition of her left eye. Dr. Younanian removed the nonfunctioning eye, and Wanda received medication to keep her comfortable as she recovered. She then rested in recovery while waiting for Ryan to arrive. And while the surgery was an important step, it was only the beginning of Wanda’s recovery.
Wanda rests comfortably after her surgery while waiting for her caretaker to pick her up and take her home to recover.
Who Will Wanda Be When She Isn’t Hurting Anymore?
Wanda has spent a lot of her young life simply surviving. She became a mother, lived as a community cat, and navigated life with an eye that was no longer functioning. Ryan describes her as a fighter. Maybe that won't change. Maybe she'll always be the tiny, determined cat who fought her way through every challenge, or maybe, as she continues to heal, we'll get to see a different side of Wanda that has been there all along. For now, she is safe and she gets to heal.
Wanda’s Follow-Up
Wanda returned to us for her follow-up appointment, and we were happy to see that she is healing well. Our team observed that her surgical site was healing as expected, with no signs of infection. Ryan also shared that Wanda is doing great at home. She’s eating really well and is still wild, but she’s continuing to show the personality that makes her Wanda. It’s still early in her recovery, but these are encouraging signs for a little cat who has already been through a lot. Her story still has chapters left to write, and we’re excited to see what comes next. Want to see how Wanda is doing? Watch her follow-up update on our TikTok.
Wanda at her follow up visit.
Community cat work often begins with spay and neuter. If you want the full picture of why this work matters across Southern Nevada, we break it down here. These foundational services are an essential part of preventing future litters and supporting healthier community cat populations. But sometimes, a community cat needs more. A cat may be injured, sick, or living with a condition that requires medication or surgery. Wanda’s story is an example of what happens when a community cat needs care beyond foundational services. She had already received her spay, but that wasn't the end of what she needed. She needed someone to recognize that something was wrong and have the resources to help. That’s where the Community Cat Action Fund comes in.
The Community Cat Action Fund
Wanda's additional care was made possible through the Community Cat Action Fund, which helps provide lifesaving services for community cats who need more than routine spay and neuter support. For cats like Wanda, that can mean access to medications, treatment, and surgeries when illness, injury, or trauma makes additional care necessary. The fund exists because community cats deserve more than simply being seen as animals who live outdoors. They deserve access to care when they need it. Wanda’s surgery was possible because people chose to invest in that care. For Wanda, that meant removing an eye that was no longer functioning and causing significant discomfort. For another community cat, it may mean treating an injury, providing medication, or addressing another medical need. We don't always know which cat will need help next. But because people choose to support this fund, HCWS can be there when they do.
Wanda’s Story Isn’t Over
Wanda continues to heal and settle in after her surgery. This recent update from Ryan shows her resting comfortably as she recovers.
Wanda's story doesn't end with surgery. It continues with recovery, with the people who care for her, and with the kittens she helped bring into the world. It also continues with a community of people who believe that even cats living outdoors deserve access to care when they need it. We are not sure what comes next for Wanda, she may eventually return to the colony she knows or she may surprise everyone and show a different side of herself. What we do know is that she is healing, she is eating well, and she is still very much Wanda. Whatever comes next, she has already been given something important: the chance to move forward without the eye that was causing her so much trouble.
You Can Help Community Cats Like Wanda
A community kitten receives care at our clinic. Your support helps make care possible for cats like this little one.
Wanda's story is one example of what generosity can make possible. Your support of the Community Cat Action Fund helps us provide additional care to community cats who are sick, injured, or in need of lifesaving treatment. We believe every community cat deserves a chance to heal, to be comfortable, and to receive care when they need it. And every community cat deserves the opportunity to be seen as more than the circumstances they were born into. You can support the Community Cat Action Fund and help provide care for community cats like Wanda.
