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Poppy and her kittens CREDIT: Cats Protection
Submitted by Cat protection
An appeal was launched to help a young mother in need of expensive surgery after giving birth to a litter of six kittens despite being in pain herself.
Poppy, as she was called, was cared for at the North Hertfordshire branch of Cats Protection after the charity found out about a heavily pregnant stray who had sheltered in the garden of a house in Letchworth, Hertfordshire for a few days.
During the pandemic restrictions, the charity assessed each case based on the cat’s immediate health and welfare needs and the safety of its volunteers.
Paula Wilson, a Senior Caregiver at Cats Protection, said, “Poppy was about to give birth and there were concerns about her health and her ability to give birth and care for her kittens.
“This was a cat that needed our help to keep her and her kittens safe and we had no time to waste.”
This case was just right, so Cats Protection visited the garden and humanly imprisoned Poppy, who, given her very pregnant condition, did not offer much resistance. Fortunately, they were moving quickly when Poppy gave birth to a beautiful litter of six kittens within two days of their arrival.
The investigation found that the effects of stray living had taken its toll on Poppy, and all six kittens were diagnosed with feline flu, which required medication to contain recurring symptoms. Fortunately, they reacted well and the kittens were already housed on site.
Paula continued, “While we were with us, we noticed that Poppy was not walking quite right and asked a vet to examine her.
“Poppy hobbled badly and our vet noticed that her limp was quite pronounced, so he suggested an X-ray.”
When the results came in, Poppy was found to be suffering from a luxating patella, better known as a dislocating kneecap. Surgery would be needed to correct the problem and prevent worsening of the pain and discomfort in the cat, which is believed to be three to four years old.
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Such a major operation, which has been booked for early April, will cost at least £ 2,000, which will put a significant strain on the charity’s coffers, especially in a year when fundraising has been scaled back due to the pandemic.
The charity is soliciting public donations to support Poppy’s operations and aftercare at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/north-herts-catsprotection-poppy
Paula said, “Poppy is a sweet little girl who was an amazing mom and nursed her beautiful kittens despite her own discomfort.
“Now it’s her turn to have all the attention before she can go to her house forever without further pain.”
Any donations in excess of Poppy’s medical expenses will go to other cats cared for by Cats Protection in the North Hertfordshire Branch.
Jessica Watkins-Childs, Cats Protection Regional Fundraising Manager, said, “Most of our usual fundraising events and activities have been canceled, affecting our work.
“Our branches are run by volunteers who rely on donations and support from local communities, and I hope we can ask people to dig deep to support Poppy’s appeal.”
