Meet the kitten found wandering the streets without a tail or ears

Kiara had lost the tips of her ears and her tail by the time she arrived at Woodgreen Pets Charity in Godmanchester.

This heart-warming festive tale from Woodgreen Pets Charity is a timely reminder as Christmas approaches

As people were decorating their Christmas trees and stocking up on mulled wine last December, a frail little kitten was shivering out in the cold.

Cold and hungry, 10-week-old Kiara had already seen the worst of life.

As well as being frigid and malnourished, she had been subject to physical distress - her tail and the tips of her ears were missing, most likely due to frostbite.

Kiara was just 10 weeks old when she was discovered shivering out on the streets in the run-up to Christmas last year.

Thankfully, Kiara was found by a kindly animal lover who immediately took her to the Woodgreen Pets Charity based near Godmanchester.

“When she arrived at Woodgreen, Kiara was so frail that we feared for her survival,” a spokesperson said.

The distressed young kitty was immediately taken for a thorough check-up.

“During the examination, our veterinary team identified wounds where her ears and tail should be,” the spokesperson said.

After a tough start in life, Kiara - now called Bonnie - found a happy ending with a loving family three days before Christmas, 2023.

“These wounds had already started to scab, so thankfully she didn’t need any treatment.”

Woodgreen’s dedicated staff members speculated about the poor little kitten’s physical state:

“We don’t know exactly how Kiara sustained her shocking injuries; it may have been frostbite [but] we couldn’t rule out a traumatic injury or even foul play.”

Staff monitored Kiara closely, and gave her medication to get rid of a nasty infestation of fleas and worms.

“We gave her plenty of food, warmth and care, all of which she accepted enthusiastically.”

In a surprisingly quick time, the purring patient started to display signs of happiness.

“Despite her ordeal, Kiara was such a confident and sociable little fluffball [who] also loved cuddles.”

After going to stay with one of Woodgreen’s Cat Team for a couple of days, Kiara was taken in by a foster carer in order to help prepare her for a life with a new family.

Happily, she did not have to wait very long to find her forever home.

Just two weeks after arriving at Woodgreen – and just three days before Christmas – Kiara was taken in by a loving family in Stevenage, who re-named her Bonnie.

While this Christmas tale had a happy ending, there are still far too many cats at Woodgreen looking for their forever home.

If you feel you can help then please visit Woodgreen’s Adoption and Rehoming webpage.