Hosted in London, The Mirror’s People’s Pet Awards took place on Thursday 9th December. The awards aim to recognise animals that have overcome impossible odds and helped their human counterparts.
Amongst the winners, was veterinary nurse, Jenni Gretton, who works at our Pride Veterinary Centre and her cat, Fire Cat.
Fire Cat was rescued as a kitten by police officers who spotted him lying in the road close to a bonfire. He had suffered extreme burns to his face, feet and fur. It’s believed that he may have ventured too close to a bonfire which resulted in life changing burns.
Fire cat was treated by our dedicated team at Pride Veterinary Centre in October 2020. He was immediately placed on fluids, oxygen and given pain relief. His burns were treated by cream and medication. He was so badly burnt, there were questions raised over his quality of life and if it was ethical to keep giving treatment. However, he had showed great signs of being a fighter, so the team continued to provide 24-hour care and nurse him back to health.
After a week in the hospital, an owner hadn’t been found for the kitten. As such, one of our fabulous nurses, Jenni, offered to foster him whilst he healed. Jenni’s son aptly named the kitten ‘Fire Cat’!
Healing took a little time, and it did have its less glamorous moments. The burnt skin needed to peel away to allow new skin to grow. This was managed with pain relief and soothing cream applied to his burns. His feet were wrapped in cling film to help the cream absorb.
During the healing process, the skin around Fire Cats eyes began to tighten. This caused inversion of his eyelids, meaning essentially his eyelids turned inside out. One of our ophthalmology specialists confirmed he would need corrective surgery to provide comfort and lessen the risk of him going blind in the future.
Despite recovering well, Fire Cat does have a few aesthetic differences which was to be expected. The tips of his ears and nose sloughed off, spots of patchy fur, plus a few crinkly whiskers. Overall, he has recovered well and is now enjoying life to the full.
Jenni’s offer of fostering Fire Cat soon turned into ownership. Now 16 months old, he lives a fun filled life with his two brothers, Jenni’s dogs, Harvey and Ringo.
Jenni explains: ‘I’m absolutely delighted to have collected the Rescue Cat of the Year Award. Since offering to foster Fire Cat, it has been such a rewarding journey aiding his recovery. He’s a very special cat’.
