Four-Week-Old Kitten Will Undergo Surgery to Repair ‘Severe Injuries’
METHUEN, Mass.—Nov. 8, 2022– In the historically warm afternoon of Friday, November 4, sirens wailed and lights flashed as a tiny four-week-old kitten was being rushed in an emergency escort to Bulger Veterinary Hospital in Lawrence.
The kitten was found severely injured and stuck in the wheel of a resident’s truck in Lawrence. Lawrence Animal Control contacted a local towing company to help free the kitten and arranged transport to the veterinarian, but once doctors saw extent of the poor kitten’s injuries, they knew he would need an incredible amount of help to recover. That’s when the MSPCA-Angell stepped in.
“[Lawrence Animal Control officers] were trying to trap the kitten and his siblings, to get them off the streets,” explained Meaghan O’Leary, director of operations at the MSPCA at Nevins Farm in Methuen, where the kitten was brought. “This little guy got scared and hid in the tire. No one could find him until they heard him crying. It was just so heartbreaking.”
“Our vets immediately cleaned him up, sutured a large wound on his leg, and bandaged his foot,” O’Leary added. “We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to save his leg, but we’ll likely need to amputate some toes.”
A Long Road Ahead
The kitten is expected to undergo surgery this week, and then he’ll go into a foster home until he’s old enough to be adopted.
“It’s going to take him four to six weeks to recover from his surgery,” said O’Leary. “He’ll stay in foster care during that time, and we’ll change his bandages and check his foot regularly.”
“Right now, the kitten’s doing great with his foster. He’s eating well and has even been moving around, despite his injuries,” she added. “We know that he’ll be a wonderful pet when he’s fully recovered.”
The MSPCA is looking for adopters who have the time to allow this little kitten to acclimate to his new surroundings. Shelter staff expect he’ll need minimal follow-up care on his foot, but recommend adopters form a close relationship with a veterinarian. Interested adopters can apply at www.mspca.org/nevinsadopt.
Help this Kitten
The cost of the kitten’s surgery and his other care is expected to exceed $5,000. Those interested in donating to help offset the cost may do so here.
