The heart-breaking side to rescuing cats

Bradford Cat Watch Rescue found two kittens dumped in the outer section of their garden and Katie Lloyd, who runs the rescue, shared this heart-breaking story:

“We heard little ‘meeps’ and then were horrified at what we saw.We do not know how long the kittens had been there.The kittens, less than three days old, were absolutely covered in maggots.The maggots were eating the flesh and when we rushed them to the vet’s, the full extent of the infestation was revealed.

“We will always try to help any animal in need and our vets always support us in this ethos.

“We opted to sedate the kittens to get a full clinical picture and to attempt to flush the maggots away.

“Once anaesthetised, there were literally hundreds, if not thousands, of maggots eating the kittens alive, eating flesh, burrowing into vital organs, and the sound of the maggots under the skin could be heard through the stethoscope.The kittens undoubtedly had to be put to rest.

“This situation left myself and the entire vet team traumatised by the suffering.These kittens endured — in however long they were left in the baking heat — being eaten alive.

“Myself and the team were in tears. No amount of anger will be able to help us unsee what was before our eyes.The cruelty witnessed in rescue really has peaked and is devastating to witness.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: We are not publishing the photos that accompanied this story as they are too graphic and distressing. However, I wanted to share this story so as not to shy away from the reality that rescuing cats — at its worst — can be incredibly difficult and heart-breaking.The rescue community helps thousands of cats every year and produces so many happy stories, which I think is even more incredible considering some of the difficult times they have to get through.