Urgent appeal launched to raise almost £2000 to help young cat walk again

Cat carers in Stamford have launched an appeal to help raise £1,700 to pay for an emergency operation that should help a young cat walk again.

The cat - since named Tolly - was seen to be in need of urgent care by concerned locals who noticed him struggling with a badly broken leg.

The kind-hearted rescuers managed to capture the cat and rush him to an emergency vet.

On inspection of x-rays, it was determined that the best chance of Tolly ever walking again was to amputate the injured leg. The crunch point was that such a procedure would come with a whopping £1,700 price tag.

Volunteers at Cats Protection’s Stamford and District Branch have now issued an appeal for funds to cover the cost of helping Tolly get back on his paws.

Griselda Winn, Coordinator at Cats Protection’s Stamford and District Cats Protection Branch, said: “It is sad to see a young cat with an injury like this but he’s young and has a good chance of leading a full and happy life as a three-legged puss.”

“Poor Tolly was a stray when she was taken to vets but his rescuers couldn’t be expected to foot the bill. We didn’t hesitate to take poor Tolly in when got the call from the vet but operations like this are very expensive and it impacts greatly on our finances.

“This year has been extremely challenging. We have never had so many cats and kittens coming in to our branch, a large number of which have been dumped or abandoned, and every day we hear about the pressure the cost of living crisis is having on cat owners.

"We’re stretched and hefty vet bills such as these place a huge dent in our coffers.”

Tolly’s JustGiving page can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stamford-cats-protection-1696864717711

Rachel Hay, Cats Protection’s Community Fundraising Officer, said charities have been hit hard by the cost of living crisis.

“Our volunteers in the Stamford, Bourne and Oakham areas work tirelessly to care for cats and kittens in need and they already give so much of themselves,’ she said.

“For our volunteers to continue to provide the care that these cats need and see them matched to their new homes, we are appealing to the local community to help us raise funds.

“We know how tough it is for everyone but, if you can help even in a small way, we would really appreciate any donation that you can spare.”