Caring for disabled cats
In August 2021, Katie Lloyd, Care Co-ordinator at Bradford Cat Watch Rescue (BCWR) welcomed Manisha who they rescued from Dubai.We shared Manisha’s story in the October 2021 issue on these pages.
The poor cat had been involved in a road traffic collision which resulted in her having disabilities. She was left for dead, until BCWR stepped in to offer her a second chance at life.
Thanks to the care provided by Katie and her dedicated volunteers, Manisha has come on leaps and bounds and her disabilities certainly do not hold her back.
Katie was then contacted again by the ladies in Dubai about another kitten called Happy who is six or seven months old. Like Manisha, Happy is paralysed from the waist down and was left for dead at the side of the road. Her rescuers in Dubai had exhausted all their knowledge, expertise, and funds and feel
that Happy will have a significantly improved quality of life at BCWR.
With Happy’s flights already paid for, Katie launched an appeal called the ‘Happy Fund’ to raise around £1,000 which will go towards paying for X-rays, scans, equipment, nappies, and suits which will enhance her quality of life.
With so many cats in need for help in the UK the question that many will ask is why would they want to help a cat from so far away? Katie said:
“In Dubai, rescue centres are not permitted and only individuals can rescue animals. However, this is illegal and those that rescue them in that country face either heavy fines or even deportation.”
After 4,600 miles and 36 hours of travelling, Happy arrived at BCWR where she was fed and watered and cleaned. She has settled in really well and her and Manisha have been nicknamed the ‘Arabian Princesses.’
BCWR are unique in that they have many cats and kittens with severe disabilities and extra special needs. When working with kitties with extra special needs, they work within their SENSE framework: Safe, Enriching, Nurturing, Sensory, and Environment. They believe that in providing these five elements of care to their cats that their quality of life will be the best it can possibly be.
Katie said:“Caring for paralysed cats like Manisha and Happy is rewarding and exhausting and requires complete dedication.They have to have their bladder expressed manually every 3 — 4 hours. I have to help them to poop, wash their bottoms and surrounding fur, change their nappies, and apply barrier cream to help prevent sores. It is around the clock care — at 2am I am bleary eyed as this is the hardest change.”