A kitten was brought to Nutmeg Clinic by a valued client who came in to pick up her pet, who had just had surgery. Our client said that her neighbor found this fragile little kitty outside. The location happened to be within our Pets for Life focus area. Our Pets for Life program helps families with pets who need extra help keeping their companion animals healthy. We provide free services when needed and share the importance of spaying and neutering pets to stop overpopulation.
It was clear that this kitten was too young to be self-sufficient. Clara, the Clinic Director, recognized this unfortunate situation and agreed to take her in, get her well, and ultimately have a rescue group assist in placing her in a new home.
As we began examining her, we immediately noticed she was infested with fleas, one of the worst cases we had ever seen. It was when Clara happily named her Felicia after a childhood friend called “Flea.” We gently bathed and removed all fleas the first night she was with us. The team observed a strange rash on her abdomen but reasoned it was due to the flea infestation. The following morning, we discovered that this kitty did not have a rash; she had a large burn running from her chest, across her abdomen, and down to her genitals. Our best guess is it was the result of hot tar. The photos are too upsetting to share.
Felicia had a lovely temperament and the absolute will to thrive. After a few days at Nutmeg, Kate, our Operations Manager, who has a vet tech background, took Felicia home. Kate provided advanced care and burn treatments. Felicia endured weeks of dead skin peeling away from her burn, maintaining a sweet disposition through it all. Kate nursed her back to health, adopted her, and named her Lily. This precious girl lives happily with her new best friends, Jack, a Lab mix, and Jiggles, a senior Pug.
Not all stories have happy endings. With your support, we will continue to do all we can to reduce the number of unwanted litters, sparing many companion animals from suffering like Lily.
We could not do what we do without you. We ask that you keep Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic in mind when you plan your year-end giving.
