Barry, with his potbelly Barry, the famous Haarweg cat, isn’t getting any younger. And his advanced years (18!) come with some age-related infirmities. During a recent visit to the vet, he was not only found to be overweight but also to have onsetting gingivitis. And although he still eats fine, as is demonstrated by his weight, something will have to be done about his teeth in the course of this year. A GoFundMe initiative has been started to raise money for the operation.
Barry was adopted by a Haarweg corridor where he repeatedly appeared. Although his owner lived elsewhere in Wageningen, Barry seemed to have chosen his own home. Through the years, he was cared for by many different residents, and he is a welcome guest in the various corridors.
We saw that Barry was ready to settle down rather than roam around the Haarweg
Over the last six months, it became clear that Barry was getting old and needed more stability in his life. ‘We saw that Barry was ready to settle down rather than roam around the Haarweg’, says Wietske Raaphorst, a Communications and Life Sciences bachelor student. ‘So, we made a group app of people who take joint responsibility for his care. We monitor how much he eats, make sure he comes in when it is cold, and has enough water everywhere when it is warm.’
Lethargic
Hence, the Barry committee took him to the vet because he was feeling lethargic and had a mysterious lump behind his ear. With a sedative because the previous visit to the vet had caused both Barry and the vet quite some stress, despite the vet’s sturdy gloves. The lump behind his ear turned out to be a relatively harmless abscess, but the inspection did reveal his dental issues.
Raaphorst: ‘Those caring for Barry are all students. We really like taking care of Barry, and we all want him to have a comfortable old age. But the financial responsibility is a difficult factor.’ Hence the GoFundMe initiative. ‘Many Haarweg residents contribute so that we can provide the care he needs.’
