Cat attacked by coyote in Queen Anne, family asks for help

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A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Storm, a cat who was attacked by a coyote in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. (Photo: Ryan Smith, GoFundMe)

SEATTLE - A Seattle man is reaching out to the community for support after his cat, Storm, survived a severe coyote attack in the Queen Anne neighborhood earlier this month.

Ryan Smith, who set up a GoFundMe campaign for Storm, recalled the harrowing incident that took place on May 12 at approximately 4:30 a.m. He was awakened by Storm's screams and, upon looking outside, discovered the cat dangling from the jaws of a coyote. Smith and other homeowners managed to chase the coyote away, prompting it to release Storm.

Despite the possibility that damage to the right side of Storm's brain might impair the function of the left side of his body, the veterinarians were hopeful that with time and rehabilitation, Storm could relearn his motor skills. (Photo: Ryan Smith,

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Immediately, Smith took Storm to an emergency veterinary clinic. After enduring 12 hours of uncertainty, the prognosis revealed that Storm was paralyzed from the neck down. However, to everyone's relief, by the next morning, Storm had regained enough strength to sit up and eat.

Due to a suspected spinal cord injury indicated by the vets, Smith had Storm transferred to a specialist for a CT scan to evaluate the possibility of restoring the cat's ability to walk. It was revealed that Storm had a fractured skull and a punctured section of the brain near his ear.

Storm is currently on the mend and showing gradual improvement in his ability to walk. Nevertheless, the medical interventions have placed a financial strain on the Smith family, with the costs totaling around $17,000. An overnight emergency vet visit exceeded $5,000, and the neurologist's services were estimated to be just over $10,000. The veterinary clinic offered financing for $10,000 through CareCredit, and the family has maxed out several credit cards to cover the remaining expenses.

(Photo: Ryan Smith, GoFundMe)

The Smiths have set a fundraising goal of $15,000 to help with Storm's recovery. As of now, they have managed to collect $1,890 in donations. Those wishing to contribute to Storm's recovery can do so by visiting the GoFundMe page set up by the Smith family.

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