Gravely Injured Cat Found Tied to Radiator Fights for Life

BOSTON and Methuen, Mass. Feb. 4, 2014 – A seven-month-old cat named “Marte” who has known only neglect and pain in his short life is on the mend after he was found tied by his neck to the radiator of a Lawrence, Mass. home.  The cat, removed from the home on Jan. 24 by the town’s animal control officer and taken to the MSPCA-Nevins Farm in nearby Methuen, had swallowed a string weeks earlier, which had caused severe internal injury.

Marte underwent extensive surgery at the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston two days after being removed from the home.  His owner, whose identity is not being released, is facing felony animal cruelty charges for failing to provide necessary veterinary care.

Tied to Radiator with Shoestring

By the time Marte was found he had been vomiting and was extremely dehydrated, thin and weak.  Worse, the string he swallowed had lodged under his tongue and stretched all the way down his throat, wrapping around and damaging his intestines.

Marte was found tied by his neck to a radiator in a Lawrence, Mass. home (credit: Lawrence Animal Control)

At Nevins Farm, director Mike Keiley evaluated young Marte and was shocked by what he saw.  “This cat had clearly gone weeks with this string lodged in his body, creating untold damage to his insides,” he said.  “The fact that he was tied by his neck only added to his misery.”

Keiley immediately transferred Marte to Angell where surgeon Andrew Goodman evaluated him.  Marte was already septic—a condition marked by extreme internal infection—because the string had punctured his intestines in multiple areas.  Dr. Goodman concluded that while surgery to remove the string and repair his intestines carried only a 30 percent chance of survival, Marte would certainly die without it.

Lifesaving Surgery

Dr. Goodman had to remove nearly half of Marte’s intestines and re-route his gall bladder so that excess bile could continue to drain properly from his body.  After recovering at Angell for a day Marte was moved back to MSPCA-Nevins Farm where he remains in foster care.

“He’s definitely not out of the woods yet and we won’t know for at least a couple weeks whether he may need additional surgery,” said Keiley.  “But we’re confident that he’s going to make it—so much so that we’re looking for potential adopters to step forward.  We want to give him a home in which he’ll know only safety, warmth and comfort for the rest of his life.”

The MSPCA-Angell’s three state-wide animal care and adoption centers take in, and place into new homes, thousands of homeless dogs, cats and other animals every year.  Marte represents just one of the many animals who arrive every day—and whose futures are brighter as a result of the care they receive.  Readers can contribute directly toward the care of these animals by clicking here.

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The MSPCA-Angell is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care. The MSPCA-Angell is a private, non-profit organization. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization. The MSPCA-Angell relies solely on the support and contributions from individuals who care about animals. Please visit www.mspca.org and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mspcaangell