Severely dehydrated kitten is lucky to be alive after enduring cooking temperatures trapped in the back of a furniture truck for almost a week while traveling from Romania to the UK.
The four-week-old stowaway needed intensive care and intravenous fluids after being found by warehouse staff in Bedford
The kitten was rescued by Cats Protection volunteers and will spend three months in government-mandated quarantine.
The black and white cat – named Roman by his rescuers – arrived in a truck from Eastern Europe and was not discovered until staff at the Marsh Leys, Bedford warehouse opened the doors to unload a delivery of furniture.
Hearing his calls for help, workers cautiously climbed onto boxes to trace the source and discovered a sick, weak and frightened little kitten.
She said: “It was clear this poor kitten was in a rough spot and needed urgent help, so I grabbed a cat carrier and made it to the depot.
“I asked them to check the truck for a mother cat or any other kitten, but there was only this one.
“It was a sad sight. The poor girl was in bad shape. His eyes were glued together and he was very weak.
“The way he even had the strength to cry surprised me, but it was a good sign. He’s a little fighter and we knew what we had to do.
“We’ll never know Roman’s story or how he got stuck in the truck, but he probably snuck around looking for a comfortable place to sleep and the next thing he crossed borders.” with rising summer temperatures.
“He must have been very hot, scared and desperately thirsty. It is a miracle that he survived this weather.”
Tamsin carefully picked up the kitten and went to a local vet who saw he was malnourished, dehydrated and in need of eye treatment.
As the cat had entered the country undetected and without papers or microchips, Cats Protection contacted Trading Standards at Bedford Borough Council, as did the procedure with illegal cats.
After being treated and prepared for transport, Roman was transferred to a DEFRA approved quarantine cattery where he will stay for up to three months, sponsored by Cats Protection.
At around 12 weeks, he will receive a rabies vaccine before being transferred to Cats Protection three weeks later to be relocated by the Bedford and Biggleswade branch.
With the cost of such treatment being high, volunteers from the Cats Protection branch launched a JustGiving page – Roman’s Route to Happiness Appeal – to raise funds to cover the £ 1,600 bill.
Naomi Williams, Cats Protection Field Veterinarian, said: “When Roman first presented to the Scott Veterinary Clinic vet, he was found to be underweight and severely dehydrated.
“He was also exhibiting symptoms of feline flu with swollen, inflamed eyes and lots of discharge that kept him from opening them until they were washed off by the healthcare team.
“Roman was admitted to the vet for intravenous fluids and intensive supportive care, which included antibiotics and lots of TLC.
“Fortunately, he responded very well to the treatments and was well enough to be transferred to the quarantine cattery the following week.
As Roman is still very young, the staff at the quarantine facility will continue to provide him with all the extra attention he needs, including a kitten socialization program to ensure he grows up to be a happy cat and confident.”
More about this article: Read More
Source: www.bedfordtoday.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-06-17 09:35:11
