Felicia the Kitten: Weak, Leg Broken and Caked in Hardened Tar

Too Weak to Even Hide

We received an urgent message late last night about a stray kitten unable to move very much and with a badly broken leg. She was weak and covered in tar. Our rescuer headed out and thankfully it was an easy rescue. The kitten tried to evade capture but was unable to get very far, and we only had to pull her out of the hole she was trying to hide in. She was unable to drag her rear end into her hiding spot, which meant we could gently prise her out, get her into a cat carrier, and dash her to a 24-hour vet—the same vet hospital that saved Plaza and Ollie (see previous blog posts).

In Good Hands

The vet hospital was expecting Felicia, so they quickly ushered us in and immediately went to work on the bewildered little kitten. After a brief examination, the vet explained what they would now do: x-rays, blood tests, fluids, and the difficult process of removing the hardened tar that was completely covering her broken back-left leg, which was stiff and sticking straight out. From there they would know exactly what they were dealing with and could start planning the treatment that little Felicia will need if she is to recover. We left Felicia in their good hands just after midnight.

Morning Update

The vet sent us the following update this morning:

“The tar on Felicia’s body has already been washed off, the blood-test biochemical functions are all normal, and there is no FIV or leukaemia. However, she is severely anaemic, possibly due to any of the following reasons:

1. Blood loss from fractures
2. Unable to move well while stray and injured
3. Poor nutrition
4. Flea infestation

Currently, we are keeping her warm, giving her IV fluids, and administering iron supplements and vitamin B12 to help boost blood production. She was initially hypothermic, but her body temperature is now normal. Regarding her broken leg, the neck of the right femur is fractured and the left sacroiliac joint is dislocated. Felicia will require surgery once her condition is more stable.”

That’s the latest update so far.

Little Felicia Needs You

We are asking kind cat lovers to now consider donating directly towards Felicia’s emergency vet bill, which came to NT$15,873 (about £400, US$507, €467, AU$775, or CA$688). It’s a great way to donate to an animal charity and know exactly where your donation is going and whose little life it is saving. We don’t yet have an estimate from the vet, but it will almost certainly be at least £950 including surgery. If we raise more than needed for her emergency vet bill, the extra funds will go towards her surgery, which she will undergo once strong enough—hopefully in a week or so.

You can donate with debit card, credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, easily and securely, and feel free to choose to donate anonymously if you would prefer not to have your name appear on the list of Felicia’s kind angels.

Felicia’s Kind Angels

Thank You!

We’re very grateful to be able to help suffering kittens like Felicia and hopefully help transform her life. We’ll post updates as we get them. Subscribe to our blog to stay updated (click in the button at the top of this post).