Finding Florence
Every now and again a cat comes into rescue who doesn’t just tug on your heart strings but pulls them in every direction.
Ginny Parratt from Cats in Distress, based in Somerset, was contacted in December about an elderly cat who she was told was around 19 years old and has since been named Florence.
Apparently, she had been living in the smoking shelter of a factory and had a comfy bed and was fed and watered. She had been around for so long that no one could remember when she had first turned up and it was clear from the state of her that she had been like this for a considerable amount of time. Her fur was matted into huge solid lumps so tight that she was barely able to walk — the agony she must have felt every time she moved. She was immediately admitted to the vet’s, where she was sedated and the matted fur removed.An initial examination also revealed severe dental disease and thickened intestinal linings.
It was decided that it was best to let Florence settle in and review her in a couple of weeks. While she was malnourished, she was eating OK and slept a lot. She has made herself at home with foster carer Liz Doughty who is also a veterinary nurse, so she is in the best possible hands. Florence will have a home for life with Liz and will now know what it is like to be loved and cared for.
Ginny said:“It’s sometimes hard not to think about how different her life could have been, if she had been taken into a rescue sooner. Instead, we’ll focus on her future, however long that might be.”
2021 has been relentless for Ginny, often there is a quieter time once kitten season has ended but certainly not this year.
● For more information on the rescue, visit www.cats-in-distress.org