The blind cat and his feline guide
A cat blinded by a crippling eye infection has found new sight in a caring feline friend.
Born in January, Murdock came to Wellington SPCA with a terrible eye infection, which meant his eyes had to be removed.
But a new feline best friend is on the lookout for him, guiding him with her scent and licking those hard-to-reach places.
When new owner Shar Davis first brought them home, she realised Mabel was literally serving as Murdock’s eyes.
‘‘Murdock had to learn how to climb the stairs, and I realised he was following her scent.
The SPCA’s annual Cupcake Day is the organisation’s largest fundraiser. Last year it brought in $390,000 nationwide.
Money raised by Wellingtonians goes to the Wellington SPCA. Last year they received more than $50,000.
The Wellington centre will host a cupcake sale outside Farmers, in Lambton Quay, from 7am on August 15.
Register for Cupcake Day at spcacupcakeday.co.nz
‘‘If he gets himself stuck, he’ll just meow and she will come and free him.’’
Mabel showed her blind pal where the food and the litter box lived, and he’s now pretty good at getting around on his own.
Murdock and Mabel were from two different litters of young, vulnerable kittens found out on their own.
Wellington SPCA inspectors caught the kittens and took them to the Newtown centre for treatment.
They were fostered together by head vet nurse Heidi Olsen, and that’s where their inseparable bond began.
‘‘It was amazing to see Murdock’s progress from when he first came in with such badly infected eyes, to how happy and healthy he is now,’’ Olsen said.
Once staff saw how close they’d become, the SPCA imposed a condition that they be adopted together.
Davis has set up an Instagram page for the kittens, so they can break hearts on a regular basis.