A ten-week old kitten who was discovered by a good Samaritan along the coast of Dragon Lake in Quesnel is combating to survive.
“The finder was looking out of her bedroom window when she spotted what she thought was a kitten,” says Colby O’Flynn, BC SPCA’s senior supervisor, North Cariboo.
“Her husband went to check it out and Tilly crawled under their boat dock. They managed to coax her out onto the deck with some food – she desperately wanted to eat.”
When they got a much better take a look at the kitten, now called Tilly, they might see she was terribly hurt.
Her eyes were glazed and she had pests all over her, particularly on her chest and back where there was a noticeable injury.
The finders covered her up in a blanket, put her in a family pet provider and right away brought her to the BC SPCA in Quesnel.
“When Tilly arrived at the animal centre, the first thing we noticed, even before we brought her out of the carrier, was the smell of infection,” said O’Flynn.
“She was cold, pale, dehydrated and barely able to lift her little head. It was hard to see the extent of the damage through her black fur, but we knew this kitten didn’t have much longer without emergency veterinary intervention.”
Tilly was driven one and a half hours to the closest available emergency situation vet for evaluation.
She was shaved to reveal a much bigger injury which is thought to come from a predator. In addition to her injury, Tilly’s tail was terribly hurt. The injury was cleaned up, and the pests and dead tissue got rid of.
“Tilly’s doctor is impressed with her healing and was finally able to change her prognosis from day-by-day to a full recovery,” says O’Flynn. “We continue to manage her pain to help ensure she is comfortable and getting plenty of love and rest.”
O’Flynn said she was small, frightened and weak, yet she in some way handled to select herself up and discover help. “Right now, she is on medication to make her comfortable, so we have not had the chance to see her fun and playful side yet, but we have all fallen in love with the affectionate little love-bug.”
Tilly is still recuperating from her treatment. She will become purified and at that time her tail will be cut off.
She is anticipated to be available for adoption at some point in early September.
The BSCPCA said Petsecure Pet Health Insurance were so motivated by Tilly’s story that they’re comparing to $3,000 in contributions towards her care and to other animals who require immediate medical help.
