Kitten found in middle of road and presumed dead makes remarkable recovery

A kitten was found in a terrible state and presumed dead when she was spotted in the middle of a busy road in the Cotswolds. It is a miracle the kitten is still alive today, and is said to be doing incredibly well after a veterinary nursing assistant rescued the little bundle, and took her to her workplace for treatment and care.

The black-and-white kitten who has been named Mandi was found in the middle of Ewen Road in Cirencester, near the Spratsgate Lane crossroads at the end of July. Mandi who was believed to be aged between eight and ten weeks old at the time, is now thriving after months of rehabilitation and a leg amputation.

The kitten was found by Vet Nursing Assistant Abigail Woodhouse who was driving home from Ashcroft Veterinary Surgery in Cirencester where she works. Abby had been taking her own cat home after receiving treatment but managed to stop and retrieve the bundle of fur from the road before rushing back to the surgery, hoping the tiny kitten would survive the journey.

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Practice Manager and Head Nurse Natasha Burchett explains: “Abby came flying back in and passed me the blood-covered bundle. I confirmed she was alive, called our vet back from his lunch break and sat cradling her in the consult room to calm her down until he arrived. She had lots of blood round her face and was in such a shocked state that she weed on me as she began to relax. We like to joke it’s always the ones who mess on us that we fall in love with the most!”

The vet team called the young kitten Mandi, short for ‘mandible’, because she had such a significant wound to her chin, and estimated that she was between eight and 10 weeks old, only just old enough to be away from her mother.

Natasha continues: “The vet came right back and we immediately put her under sedation as her chin injury was so severe. It had been degloved, meaning all the skin had been removed, it’s very rare to see an injury like that to any animal’s face but especially a tiny kitten.

“Mandi was also struggling to put any weight on her front right leg, so we x-rayed it and she was very, very lucky that she had no broken bones. We then sewed the skin back on to her chin and the injury was so fresh that she began to heal really quickly.

“She stayed at the surgery over the weekend and I kept an eye on her with my five-year-old daughter, who was so gentle with her and really helped Mandi learn to trust us – and Mandi really does purr when she trusts you! She has such an amazing character that has really shone through despite everything she’s been through. Once she’d made it through the weekend, I contacted Cats Protection and they took her on. If it wasn’t for Abby going past when she did and bringing her straight to us, there is no way Mandi would have survived.”

There were no scuff marks or damage to the claws on Mandi’s affected leg but she was diagnosed with radial paralysis which stops the main nerve in the leg from functioning. Over the following weeks Mandi was nursed back to heath and her leg monitored. Although it gave her no pain, she did not regain use of it and after two months of attempted rehabilitation, the decision was made to amputate the leg.

June Edgar from Cats Protection Stroud who is fostering Mandi explains: “Mandi is a gorgeous kitten who has never let her awful start in life or the loss of her leg hold her back. Initially she was anxious around loud noises, we imagine because of the trauma of being in the road, but she is cuddly, lively and loves life. She has been recovering well since her amputation and we are now beginning to look for a new home where she will be able to enjoy her kittenhood once she has fully healed.

“Although we will never know how she came to be in the middle of the road we suspect Mandi may have been dumped there because her owners could not cope with her developing condition. We therefore urge anybody who is struggling to care for their cat or kitten to get in touch with their nearest rescue organisation or vet practice. We will never judge and although we cannot always take a cat in immediately, we can work out a plan to support you until we have space.”

Mandi’s surgeries and ongoing recovery and rehabilitation have cost the volunteer-run branch of the charity over £1,000 to-date and they have created a JustGiving appeal for anybody who would like to help them cover costs. They also have a wish list for anybody who would prefer to send a gift please visit here Any funds raised above those needed for Mandi’s care will be used to support other cats and kittens in the branch’s care.

To find out more Cats Protection Stroud visit here.