When Survival is a Daily Battle: Xena’s Story

In the shadows of an old Romanian churchyard, a tiny cat barely out of kittenhood was fighting for her life—and the lives of her unborn babies. At just one year old, Xena was far too young to be facing motherhood, but the harsh reality of street life doesn’t wait for cats to be ready.

An elderly woman who had made it her quiet mission to watch over the neighborhood strays found Xena in distress, struggling through a birth that was going terribly wrong. Without hesitation, she reached out to The Great Catsby, a ROLDA partner charity she’d worked with before. Thanks to emergency surgery, Xena and her two precious kittens survived what could have been a tragedy.
But survival on the streets is never just one battle—it’s an endless war.

When Hope Turns to Heartbreak

Months passed, and slowly, cruelly, Xena began to fade. The woman who had saved her watched helplessly as this young mother grew thinner and thinner, her condition deteriorating before her eyes. Worried about veterinary costs but knowing she couldn’t wait any longer, she contacted us again.
What we found broke our hearts.

At just three years old, Xena weighs only 2.75 kilograms—barely more than a large bag of sugar. Her tiny body is ravaged by parasites, her skin inflamed with painful dermatitis. We suspect mycoplasma, a bacterial infection often spread by the very fleas that torment street cats daily.

But perhaps most heartbreaking of all is her mouth. Xena suffers from caudal stomatitis, a agonizing condition that makes eating—something most of us take for granted—a source of constant pain. She’ll need nearly all her teeth removed. Her once-beautiful fur hangs in matted clumps because grooming herself hurts too much to bear.

And still, we fear there’s more. Her blood work suggests she may have FIP—Feline Infectious Peritonitis—a diagnosis that would explain her rapid decline. We’re waiting for test results, hoping against hope that we’re wrong.

This is Life on the Streets

Xena’s story isn’t unique—it’s heartbreakingly typical. Across Romania, thousands of cats face this same desperate struggle every single day. Too young pregnancies, untreated illnesses, parasites, starvation, and diseases that would be manageable with proper care become death sentences on the streets. But here’s what gives us hope: Xena’s story doesn’t have to be repeated endlessly.

Breaking the Cycle

Every cat we sterilize is a future prevented from this suffering. Every spay surgery means dozens of kittens won’t be born into a world where survival is measured in days, not years. Every intervention today prevents countless Xenas from facing these same battles tomorrow.

ROLDA works on two crucial fronts: rescuing cats like Xena who are already fighting for their lives, and preventing future generations from ever having to fight at all. Both are equally vital, and both require your help.

Right now, we have the opportunity to make a real difference—not just for individual cats, but for the entire stray population. The choice is ours: continue watching this cycle of suffering repeat, or take action to break it.

Will You Help Us Rewrite These Stories?

Xena is receiving the medical care she desperately needs, but she represents just one cat among thousands. Your monthly support helps us reach more cats like her while funding the sterilization programs that will ensure fewer cats face her struggles.

Become a monthly supporter today and help us create a future where no cat has to fight this hard just to survive.

Because every cat deserves better than a life spent simply trying not to die.