Joe and Gizmo are father and daughter. Before they came to live with us, they spent many months at the RSPCA after an incident caused by an escaped boa constrictor. But that's another story.
Almost exactly a year ago we returned home to find Gizmo in a terrible state, after having lost an argument with a four-wheeled vehicle. I won't dwell on details, but she was a bloody mess after both her hind legs had been run over. It was incredible that she'd made it home and through a cat flap given she could just use her front legs.
It was a Sunday evening so not a hope of finding a local vet. We scooped Gizmo (very gently) into a cat basket and tried not to panic or think of the worst as we set off for the emergency vet.
He saved her life, but it wasn’t clear if her life was going to be worth living. Transferred for a lengthy stay with our local vet, we could tell that she was going to lose at least one of her four legs, and it could be worse.
After one leg was amputated, within weeks it became evident that there was no tissue that could be saved on her other back foot. The head vet was making that noise that plumbers do before telling you that it’s not just the boiler that’s blown but all the pipes and radiators that need to be replaced too.
But we didn’t give up. And more importantly nor did Gizmo. Twelve months later she’s outside and enjoying the sunny weather and playing with her dad like she always did. The vets agree she has an incredible quality of life and her public are still more than happy to invest in cat food. So how has a cat managed to not just survive but thrive on three legs and two paws? It’s not been easy. The main things have been team work and a shared desire to succeed.
One of the hardest things was stopping her from licking her wounds. Getting her to break the habit was tough for everyone (she had to wear a stupid bucket on her head for what felt like months) but it was worth it as the wound healed and she ceased to be obsessed with what she’s lost and started to adapt to a new way of life.
The vets were wonderful. And expensive. But without their expert help and support Gizmo would never have made the transition. We were lucky to have pet insurance as we would never have been able to afford it on our own.
The vets seemed amazed that we had the patience to visit every day for weeks to see Gizmo at the vets and then return every day for changes of dressing for months. But Gizmo was and continues to be an amazingly friendly cat. Even in her darkest days she never ignored us and always had a chirp and a purr. In truth she is a little less aesthetically pleasing than she was a year ago, but we love her as much and probably more.
But most of all it was Gizmo’s willpower and her willingness to adapt. Can all cats learn to walk on two legs? She certainly could. Most of the time she is quite happy motoring along on two legs and a stump, but in cold weather she has developed an acrobatic trick of circumnavigating the stone-tiled kitchen on her front paws which are now incredibly muscular and well-developed.
Gizmo has also had to adapt to a smaller living area, but she can still get out and about into a portion of the garden. She’s also had to learn to get on better with other cats too: she is now realistic enough to understand she’s not going to win in a fight, so it’s probably better to make friends.
The deepest irony is that, touch wood, Gizmo may well live to be a far older cat thanks to the accident. As well as fighting, she used to get into all sorts of spots that terrorised us, including regularly exploring the roofs of buildings.
Thanks to team work, expert help and support, engaged cat food-buyers and Gizmo’s desire to adapt, look to the future and not to dwell on the past, we are the proud owners of a cat that is very happy to be alive for what we hope will be many years to come.
David Brownlee, Chief Executive, Audiences UK
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