Cat Action Trust 1977 - Ayrshire
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Rehoming Cats & Kittens: East Ayrshire, Glasgow, North Ayrshire & South Ayrshire
Ben

At the end of May last year I received a message from someone who had been visiting a friend on an Ayrshire caravan site saying that there was a cat there who had an injured leg and who was limping badly. I went that afternoon to the caravan site and spoke to the couple in charge but saw no sign at all of the injured cat. I was told the cat had been injured some time before but because he was "unhandleable" he hadn't been taken to a vet. Having been told that he tended to appear around 6am I packed two different types of cat trap into the car that night and arrived at the site around 5.45 the following morning and set up the traps, trying desperately not to waken up all the residents and possibly causing the sort of situation that has seen me reported in the past to the local police for hanging around a place at weird hours and looking "dodgy". Not to worry, though, for the boy did appear around 6 and walked right into one of the traps! Having taken him to the vet and then home and into our care, I realised within minutes that this "unhandleable" cat was quite the opposite. He had needed a friend and made it clear that he was really very happy to be getting help. We called him Ben.

The state of Ben's leg was quite shocking; whatever had caused the injury some time before had now resulted in muscle wastage but what seemed to be causing him actual pain was the fact that the toes on that foot had been getting turned under and dragged through all sorts of things, including gravel. The toes were raw and he must have been in agony with every step. Ben went off to live with his foster mum, Christine, who spent several months performing exercises on Ben's leg (and thoroughly spoiling him) and although his wee toes healed the muscles on his leg just didn't improve. Everything we did was with vet approval, the option of removing Ben's leg being considered unnecessary as it wasn't, and isn't, giving him pain. We now know that Ben's Achilles tendon is destroyed and cannot be repaired so another option we had considered, having a brace made for the leg to help him walk better and help rebuild muscle power, would be pointless and just cause him discomfort and possibly distress. Apart from that one leg, Ben is in good health and should have many years of happy life ahead of him.

So, all of that is the background to Ben's situation but just as important is his lovely personality. This is the most affectionate wee lad who doesn't let his bad leg hold him back: he can jump up onto windowsills to check on what the birds might be up to, he wanders up and down stairs, he plays with his toys when he isn't too busy watching the telly with Christine - in other words, he's a normal cat. He's just a normal cat with a gammy leg. Now that we know Ben's leg is just what it is, it's time to find him an understanding and loving home. He's obviously been a house cat at some point and may have been tossed aside when his people failed to have him neutered and he became smelly (a very common occurence), or maybe he was abandoned after becoming injured and just wasn't wanted any more. It doesn't matter. Ben's safe now and he makes it very obvious that he's really happy. He deserves so much better than the people and home he had before being abandoned and that's what we're seeking for him now. He's neutered now, of course, and is also fully vaccinated and chipped. For practical reasons, it's probably best that he has an indoor only home and preferably one that has mainly carpet flooring as that helps him walk, given he has only 75% of his limbs doing the work. A home which can offer safe access to an enclosed garden is also possible, but Ben doesn't actually show any signs of wanting to venture outdoors. Too many bad memories probably. The right person, or people, are out there for Ben. If you think you could offer him the kind of home he deserves after all he's been through please get in touch. Any future vet bills associated with his leg will be met by this branch of the charity.

 

Information
  • Status:Homed
  • Gender: Male
  • Fur colour:Black & White
  • Fur length:Shorthaired
  • Breed: Moggy
  • Age(When Added):3 Year(s) Old
  • Neutered/Spayed:Neutered
  • Indoor/OutdoorIndoor Only
  • Can live with children: Yes
  • Can live with dogs: Yes
  • Can live with other cats: Yes
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