Mackie: Not All Heroes Wear Flower Collars

When Mackie arrived at P.A.W.S. in December 2025, we had no idea just how much she would go through before finally being ready to find her forever home.

Mackie, a beautiful tortoiseshell cat estimated to be about two years old, was brought to us by a kind-hearted Good Samaritan who had found her as a stray. After taking her in, nursing her back to health, and giving her a safe place to recover, the rescuer hoped Mackie might become a permanent member of the family.

There was just one problem: the resident cat had other ideas.

Mackie desperately wanted a feline friend. She tried her best to make friends with the other cat, but unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual. Realizing Mackie deserved a home where she could thrive, the rescuer entrusted her to P.A.W.S. so we could help her find the perfect family.

At first, everything seemed normal. Mackie had already been spayed, and she settled into rescue life. But after moving into one of our PetSmart cat condos, we noticed something very unusual: Mackie appeared to be going into heat.

A veterinary workup, including blood testing, revealed elevated hormone levels. The diagnosis was Ovarian Remnant Syndrome (ORS), a rare condition that occurs when a tiny piece of ovarian tissue is accidentally left behind during a spay surgery. That tissue can continue producing hormones, causing a cat to cycle as though she were not spayed at all.

Finding and removing the remnant would require another surgery, but there was a catch—we had to wait until Mackie went back into heat so the tissue could be located more easily.

After months of waiting, the timing was finally right. Mackie traveled to Lebanon, Indiana, where a veterinarian successfully located and removed the remaining ovarian tissue.

Unfortunately, her journey wasn't over yet.

Shortly after surgery, her incision dehisced, meaning it opened back up. She was rushed to the emergency veterinarian, where the wound was closed and she was started on antibiotics. But then it happened again.

After further evaluation, we discovered Mackie was having a reaction to the sutures themselves. Back she went to the veterinarian in Lebanon, Indiana, where staples were used instead to close the incision.

To help her heal properly, Mackie spent a week at the home of our Cat Lead. She endured

crate rest, wore a tiny recovery onesie, and sported an adorable flower collar while waiting for her staples to be removed.

For a cat who lives for attention, this was perhaps the hardest part of all.

Mackie is incredibly sweet, affectionate, and loves being around people. She wants to be petted, cuddled, and included in everything. Being confined to a crate and unable to curl up in bed with her humans made her understandably grumpy. She wasn't feeling her best, and she certainly wasn't thrilled about all the restrictions.

Thankfully, those difficult days are behind her now.

Today, Mackie is fully recovered, healthy, and ready to start the next chapter of her life. Her playful personality has returned, her medical challenges are resolved, and she is eagerly waiting for a family to call her own.

Mackie has been through more than most cats ever will, but through it all she has remained loving, resilient, and hopeful. Now all she needs is a forever family willing to give her the love, attention, and cuddles she has been waiting so patiently for.

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Mackie is ready to leave her rescue journey behind and begin her happily-ever-after with a family of her own. If you're looking for a loving companion who will happily soak up all the attention you can give, Mackie may be the perfect match. To learn more about Mackie or any of the other wonderful cats waiting for homes at P.A.W.S., click below to view our adoptable cats and submit an application. Your new best friend could be waiting for you!

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