Patch's story

Phone call and photographs received from a resident concerned when maggots appeared on Patch who, along with her kittens, had appeared in their garden when they returned from holiday a week earlier. Patch already had her wounds.

A volunteer went immediately to collect them and took them straight to Vets4Pets.

Initial reaction was that Patch would need to be put to sleep but on closer examination the vet thought that if the maggots could be safely removed Patch had a good chance of survival, although would never be the pretty cat she once was.

During this time Patch was cared for at the vets on strong pain killers and antibiotics. She underwent regular sedation to clean and treat her wounds, removing dead skin and encouraging the growth of new healthy skin.

After a few days from the pattern of the wounds the vet became convinced that Patch had boiling water or something similar thrown over her.

The most likely scenario is that she was a hungry cat with kittens to feed who had been thrown out or otherwise abandoned and was looking for food, possibly at her former home. We’ll never know.

Patch is well enough to leave the vets and go to a foster home where she can rest and recuperate in more comfortable surroundings looked after by one of our most experienced fosterers.

Patch returns to the vets for further sedation and treatment for removal of dead skin.

The vet is pleased with her progress. Most of her burns are improving and healing.

Patch continues to heal, her burns are looking a much healthy pink rather than an angry red.

Patch’s story is published by the Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2377893/Brave-cat-horrific-burns-yobs-poured-boiling-water-manages-tend-kittens.html) and hundreds of well wishers add messages of support on the Peterborough Cat s Protection Facebook page.

The kittens were around 5 weeks old when rescued. As Patch was so ill and needed to stay at the vets the kittens went to an indoor fosterer.

Thankfully, apart from being a bit scruffy and slightly underweight from living outside the kittens were healthy.

The kittens now all have very individual characteristics.

Mostly black, little boy Luca, is full of mischief and leads the other two astray. Fluffy Carrie loves a cuddle and being around people. Little Lola is an independent young lady with the loudest voice, particularly at mealtimes!

Patch is continuing to recover and we hope she will soon be ready to find a forever home of her own.

Her kittens have all found their purr-fect homes. 

November 2013
Four months on, Patch has found her own furr-ever home with Ella Marnier, a student vet nurse who took care of her from the beginning.

Ella says "When she first came home, she stayed in the kitchen and it took her three days to come out, but she would watch us from her favourite spot on the window sill." But just a week later, Patch became more comfortable with the other members of the household, including Labrador Retriever Lady and fellow rescue cat Tally.

And, apart from keeping an eye on a slow-healing wound on the back of her neck, Patch will hopefully need no further medical attention.

We are so happy to see Patch get her happy ending after suffering such horrendous injuries, winning the hearts of all those who witnessed her brave fight for life.