Simon was surrendered to a Los Angeles city shelter after his family learned that he had an obstructed urinary tract. Best Friends Animal Society reported that large crystals caused the blockage. The shelter drained his bladder to keep it from rupturing, then contacted Best Friends because it could not perform the surgery Simon needed. The next morning, Best Friends lead veterinarian Dr. Nicole Petschauer removed the crystals in emergency surgery. Simon recovered, received ongoing medical support and a special diet, and was eventually adopted.
What happened to Simon
Best Friends Animal Society published Simon’s story on January 9, 2019, under the headline “Emergency surgery saves cat’s life.” The organization described a single rescue case, not a clinical study or a general treatment protocol. Simon’s family surrendered him to a Los Angeles city shelter after learning that he had an obstructed urinary tract. The account identifies large crystals as the cause of the obstruction.
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A urinary blockage can create an immediate problem for the bladder. In Simon’s case, the shelter drained his bladder to prevent it from rupturing. The shelter did not have the capacity to perform the operation required to remove the crystals, so it contacted Best Friends. That handoff was the turning point in the reported timeline: the shelter provided an urgent stabilizing procedure, while Best Friends supplied access to the surgery Simon still needed.
The emergency timeline, step by step
- Surrender to the shelter: Simon arrived at a Los Angeles city shelter after his family discovered that his urinary tract was obstructed.
- Bladder drainage: Shelter staff drained his bladder to help prevent rupture. Best Friends’ account does not give the volume drained, the method used, or the exact time of day.
- Referral to Best Friends: Because the shelter could not perform the necessary surgery, it contacted Best Friends and worked with the organization to transfer Simon’s care.
- Emergency operation the next morning: Best Friends says lead veterinarian Dr. Nicole Petschauer operated and removed the large crystals that had caused the blockage.
- Postoperative support: The team administered intravenous fluids to help correct Simon’s electrolyte balance, gave him anti-inflammatory medication, and started a special diet.
- Recovery and adoption: The account says Simon healed sufficiently to be ready for a home. Robb and Jerry adopted him.
The sequence matters because the surgery was not presented as an elective procedure scheduled at convenience. The shelter’s bladder drainage addressed the immediate danger described in the story, while the referral made it possible to remove the material responsible for the obstruction.
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Why the crystals mattered in this case
Best Friends attributes Simon’s obstruction specifically to large crystals. The article does not identify their chemical composition, explain how long they had been present, or state whether additional crystals were found elsewhere in the urinary tract. It also does not say that every feline urinary blockage is caused by crystals. Those details are important: Simon’s diagnosis and treatment are the facts of this reported case, not a universal explanation for similar emergencies.
The organization’s description connects the crystals to two separate concerns. First, they blocked urine flow. Second, the team expected that crystals could remain in Simon’s bladder after the operation, which is why the account mentions a special diet intended to help break down any crystals left behind and to manage his condition over time.
What the surgery accomplished
Dr. Petschauer’s reported objective was to remove the large crystals causing the obstruction. Best Friends does not provide an operative report, photographs, anesthesia details, the duration of the procedure, or a description of the surgical approach. It does, however, identify the clinician and state that the operation took place the morning after the shelter contacted the organization.
That distinction prevents a common misunderstanding. The story does not say that surgery alone completed Simon’s treatment. The operation removed the obstructing crystals, but the team continued caring for him afterward with fluids, medication, monitoring and dietary management. Nor does the article compare surgery with catheterization, flushing, other procedures or non-surgical approaches. No treatment ranking or success rate can be drawn from this account.
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Recovery care after the operation
Intravenous fluids and electrolyte balance
Best Friends says Simon received IV fluids to help correct his electrolyte balance. The article does not list his electrolyte values, the type or rate of fluid used, or how long the treatment continued. The reported purpose was supportive care after the obstruction and surgery, rather than removal of the crystals themselves.
Anti-inflammatory medication
The team also gave Simon anti-inflammatory medication. The organization does not name the drug, dose, route or duration. Readers should not treat that statement as a medication recommendation for another cat; the account gives no prescription or veterinary instructions beyond what was done in Simon’s case.
A special diet
Best Friends reports that a special diet was used to help break down crystals that might remain in Simon’s bladder and to manage his condition. The source does not name the diet, list ingredients, identify a brand, say whether it required a prescription, or provide a current equivalent. It also says Simon would need the special diet for the rest of his life.
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Simon’s outcome and adoption
According to Best Friends, Simon healed after the operation and became ready for a home. The account does not publish a follow-up examination, laboratory results, recurrence data or a long-term medical report. Its outcome is practical and personal: Simon recovered enough for adoption, and Robb and Jerry took him home.
Robb described the family’s commitment this way: “Our cats are our family,” says Robb. “We’re fine giving Simon whatever he needs to be happy, and we are so glad that Best Friends saved his life so that he ultimately could be with us for many years to come.” That statement explains why the diet requirement was part of the adoption decision rather than a reason to exclude him.
Best Friends also quoted Samantha Bell, identified as the center’s cat behavior and enrichment lead: “He was an absolute angel while he was with us,” says Samantha Bell, cat behavior and enrichment lead at the center. “He was a purry, happy guy despite the medical challenges he was going through. He took it all in stride and soaked up the attention and love from volunteers and staff. He’s just one of those all-around awesome cats.”
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- Rapid coordination can change what care is available. The shelter could drain Simon’s bladder but could not perform the needed surgery, so it contacted an organization with surgical capacity.
- Stabilization and definitive treatment were different steps. Bladder drainage addressed the immediate risk described by Best Friends; surgery removed the crystals identified as the obstruction’s cause.
- Aftercare continued beyond the operating room. Fluids, anti-inflammatory medication and dietary management were all part of Simon’s reported recovery.
- Long-term management affected adoption planning. Best Friends says Simon needed a special diet for life, and his adopters agreed to provide it.
- A single rescue story is not a population statistic. The article does not establish a general prognosis, recurrence rate or success rate for cats with urinary obstruction.
What this report does not tell us
The Best Friends article is an organizational account of its own rescue case, published in 2019. It is strong evidence for what the organization says happened to Simon, who performed the surgery, what postoperative measures were described and how the adoption turned out. It is not an independent medical record, a controlled study or a current veterinary guideline.
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The report does not state Simon’s age, breed, weight, previous medical history, blood-test results, imaging findings, anesthesia protocol or hospitalization length. It does not explain whether he had experienced an earlier blockage, whether the crystals recurred, or whether the lifelong diet was later changed. It also does not identify a product that readers can buy. Those omissions are why the story should be read as a documented rescue narrative rather than a complete clinical case file.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keeping Simon separate from other emergency-surgery stories
Other rescue accounts involve different cats and different diseases. Greendale Village Vet’s October 26, 2024 story concerns Coco, a nine-year-old cat with pyometra. The clinic says ultrasound showed fluid in her uterus, two veterinarians performed emergency surgery, and Coco went home the same evening. The clinic reported that Coco’s removed uterus weighed 0.65 pounds, which it described as 15 percent of her body weight. Those figures belong to Coco’s reported case, not Simon’s urinary obstruction.
Best Friends’ July 12, 2016 story concerns a cat named Oklahoma, later renamed Nikki, who developed a severe infection after a ruptured uterus during delivery. Best Friends says its team operated after two days of fluids and antibiotics and then provided intensive postoperative care, including tube feeding and frequent medication. Nikki’s recovery and adoption are separate from Simon’s story. Neither account supplies evidence about the cause, treatment or prognosis of Simon’s urinary blockage.
Questions about diet and products
Did Best Friends name Simon’s food?
No. The story calls it a special diet and says Simon needed it for life, but it does not provide a brand, ingredients, product name or prescription status.
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- #1 Ingredient Is Real Chicken: IAMS Proactive Health Hairball & Urinary Tract Health cat food is made with real chicken as the #1 ingredient
- Quality Recipe: This recipe provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition for adult cats, delivering the nutrition they need
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Can another cat use the same diet?
The report does not support that conclusion. A diet selected for Simon’s remaining crystals and condition may not be appropriate for a different diagnosis. Any food change should be directed by a veterinarian, particularly when a cat has had urinary obstruction or surgery.
Does the story endorse a retail urinary food?
No. Best Friends names no product and does not endorse a retailer. The only supported description is a veterinarian-directed special diet used as part of Simon’s individual management.
Bottom line on Simon’s emergency surgery
Best Friends reports that large crystals blocked Simon’s urinary tract, that a Los Angeles shelter drained his bladder to prevent rupture, and that Dr. Nicole Petschauer removed the crystals in emergency surgery the next morning. IV fluids, anti-inflammatory medication and a lifelong special diet supported his recovery. Simon ultimately healed and was adopted by Robb and Jerry. The account is a powerful example of coordinated rescue care, but it remains one cat’s story—not a general treatment guideline or a promise that every urinary blockage will have the same cause or outcome.
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