A cat whose determination to survive won the collective heart of RSPCA South Australia has found his forever home with one of the volunteers who nursed him back to health after he suffered near-fatal injuries in a bonfire.
For new owner Lesley Corr, who volunteers at RSPCA South Australia’s vet clinic at O’Halloran Hill, it was the second time this year that she had stepped up to give a rescued cat a new home.
“I adopted a kitten called Wally from RSPCA in April who was really sick when he came to them and had to have one of his eyes removed because of a chronic infection,” Lesley explained.
“Wally got along really well with my 19-year-old cat, Ginger Meggs, and we were both feeling flat after he died, so I decided to look for another cat.
“That’s when I saw Monty had survived, which was just incredible, and he was looking for a new home, and I knew he was the one.”
The four-year-old ginger tabby seemed to have used up his nine lives when he arrived at RSPCA SA’s vet clinic at O’Halloran Hill in September, following a bonfire incident the previous day.
“When I saw the extent of this cat’s burns, it did appear that euthanasia would be the most humane option,” Senior RSPCA SA vet Dr Fauve Buckley said.
“But Monty has real spirit and the sweetest temperament – he purred during that initial examination, which was quite unbelievable given what he’d been through.”
Monty is thought to have been sleeping somewhere in the middle of a large rubbish pile on a property at Sellicks Hill when the property’s owner – unaware of the cat’s presence – ignited the pile. The cat fled into a neighbouring property where a woman – on seeing the cat was burnt – immediately captured him and rushed him to the Southcoast Animal Hospital at Port Noarlunga.
The hospital’s vet team administered pain relief and sedation before cleaning and bandaging Monty’s burnt paws. He was transferred into the care of RSPCA SA’s vet team the next day.
Dr Buckley recalled that the first few days were “touch and go”, but eventually Monty was well enough to continue his recovery in the home of an experienced foster carer. An emergency appeal attracted 125 donors who together raised nearly $4K towards Monty’s medical expenses.
“Stories like Monty’s really tug at our heart strings, and we thank everyone who rallied to help him pull through,” RSPCA SA CEO Marcus Gehrig said.
“We’ve got 750 animals in care right now, and some of them are requiring extensive veterinary care like Monty did.
“A donation to our current Guardian Angel Christmas Appeal will help to cover the costs of restoring health for these animals and the many more that will come to us over summer, which is our busiest time.
“Every person who donates to this appeal is helping animals on journeys towards what Monty has now – quality of life in a loving home.”
