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Feline Grateful

Charity vets praised after saving cat's leg

Carrot Cake needed emergency leg surgery and PDSA vets were there in the young cat's hour of need

A much-loved cat has undergone emergency surgery to save her leg thanks to charity vets who stepped in and covered the almost £5,000 costs of the operation.

A dedicated team from PDSA in East London performed the painstaking task of repairing two-year-old Carrot Cake's broken back leg after her owner arrived home one evening to find the cat injured and unable to walk.

Nathalie Kassoul immediately rushed her pet to her local vet and her worst fears were confirmed when X-rays showed Carrot Cake needed vital surgery - treatment that she was told could run into thousands of pounds.

Devastatingly, the ongoing cost of living crisis meant it was money Nathalie just didn't have. But vets at PDSA - which is supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery - were there to help.

Nathalie said, "I have absolutely no idea what happened to Carrot Cake and finding her like that was so horrible.

"But we just couldn't afford the £5,000 the private veterinary practice explained it could cost to treat - we're already trying to make cutbacks because of the cost of living. We faced a heartbreaking decision. But PDSA were there in our hour of need."

Nathalie and her daughter were eligible for support at PDSA's Bow Pet Hospital, where further X-rays luckily confirmed there was no more damage. A few days later once she was stable, Carrot Cake underwent surgery and the team worked tirelessly to repair her leg, which they believe she injured in a car accident or fall.

PDSA vet Claire Wood said, "When Carrot Cake arrived at the hospital, she had wounds and bruising around her pelvis and back legs. We took further X-rays to check there were no other injuries before she had surgery and were able to operate using a pin and plate with screws to hold the bone together while it heals."

PDSA Team Dedication

Thanks to the dedication of the PDSA team, the surgery was a success and Nathalie was able to take her much-loved moggie home later that day, with strict instructions for her to rest. Six weeks later, the fracture healed and vets were able to remove the pin.

"Carrot Cake has recovered really well and is back to her loving and energetic self - up and about, jumping, and running to her heart's content," said Nathalie.

"She's such an active cat who loves exploring outside so we couldn't be more grateful to PDSA for treating her and helping to avoid amputation."

The PDSA has provided free or low-cost care for pets of people struggling with financial hardship for more than 100 years.

Carrot Cake is just one of the 400,000 pets treated by the veterinary charity each year, with the £79 Million annual cost of treatment met entirely by public donations. People's Postcode Lottery players have raised £16.7 Million for this vital work over the past 10 years.

Nathalie added, "Whilst my daughter and I both work, I don't know how we would have afforded to pay the cost of the veterinary care needed to treat her leg.

"In our time of need, PDSA were able to save our beloved family pet. The work they do really does change lives."

Making A Difference

People's Postcode Lottery players are helping deserving causes like PDSA make a difference every single day. Read more about the range of Charities that our players support.