PORTSMOUTH — Tiki Bear the cat is recovering from smoke inhalation in the intensive care unit at a local veterinary hospital after being rescued from her burning home on Tuesday morning.

As her owners, David and Deborah Adams, assess the damage to their historic South End house, they are also facing mounting veterinary bills for their beloved cat's care.

Their daughter, Lexi Adams, set up a Facebook page titled “Help Tiki Bear” to keep others up to date on the 17-year-old cat's recovery and to provide a place where people can donate funds to help with her care if so inclined.

She said her parents heard from many members of the community after the fire asking how they could help.

By Wednesday afternoon, the Adamses had already received 23 donations totaling 27 percent of Tiki's bills, which so far total over $2,500.

As of noon on Friday, “Tiki Bear” was awake and more interested in her surroundings after spending the night in a 38 percent oxygen chamber on a heated pad and under warm blankets.

Later in the day, veterinarian Lee Gregory with the Veterinary Emergency, Critical Care & Referral Center in Newington said she was eating her first bites of food.

While Tiki continues to recover, the Adams are still assessing the damage to their nearly 300-year-old house.

Lexi Adams said her parents were able to access their home on Tuesday night and it was “overwhelming.”

The home, which was originally built in 1742 and had been lovingly restored by the couple over the last 35 years, has extensive interior damage on three floors, but the exterior structure and roof of the home are largely intact, Lexi Adams said.

Fire crews had to smash out windows and cut holes in exterior walls to vent the fire, but Lexi Adams said they are grateful for what crews did to put it out.

“In many ways, this old house was part of our family, a breathing lifeline of home and history that enveloped us and gave us meaning,” Lexi Adams said. “It's not a home where we can just gut it to studs and put up new drywall. Stewarding this house has been our family mission.”

She said every room in the house was filled with hand-milled Colonial-replica woodwork created by her father, a historic preservationist.

He has worked to restore several buildings at the nearby Strawbery Banke Museum and Lexi Adams said preservation is a big part of their lives.

“Portsmouth's past is something we've always felt very connected to, as well as how its beautiful buildings and structures give us a link to how four hundred years of New England settlers have lived before us,” Lexi Adams said.

As David Adams watched firefighters put out the fire in his home, he said he will just have to do it again.

In the meantime, he and his family are happy their beloved cat is alive and recovering.

Tiki has been with the family for 17 years, and Lexi Adams said they are grateful for the over-and-above care she received.

- - - - - - - -

Gretyl Macalaster may be reached at gmacalaster@newstote.com.