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A kitten who touched hearts after she was found at 4 weeks old, injured, with a group of abandoned cats, has had a successful surgery and is poised for a wonderful life.
Abby was rescued by Salem Friends of Felines, of Salem, Oregon, after she was found during a TNR mission in September. The group was helping 30 cats abandoned on a property when they discovered the baby kitten crying in the reeds. The injured kitten had a red, swollen left eye and an odd bump on her nose.
Abby’s rescuers took her to Evergreen Veterinary Hospital, where it was determined that she had been shot with a BB gun and she had a pellet lodged in her nose and another located, dangerously, behind her eye. Abby’s veterinarian, Dr. Laura Magruder advised that Abby was a risk for cancer later on if the pellet remained behind her damaged eye, and recommended that the eye be removed.
Local news coverage and social media awareness drew attantion to little Abby and her plight, and led to an outpouring of donations for the kitten’s medical care that topped $13,000.
Abby had her eye and pellet removal surgery on Friday, and was also spayed. Dr. Magruder removed her damaged left eye and the two BB pellets. Dr Magruder told the Statesman Journal that Abby was purring as soon as she woke up following her surgery.
“She’s such an angel. She steals the hearts of everybody she meets,” Dr Magruder told the Statesman Journal, noting that the patient was also feeling spunky and fussing with the pink medical tape covering her sutures.
Dr. Magruder said the pellet in Abby’s nose was easily removed but removal of the one behind her eye was more complex. The vet said that once the fur around her eye socket has grown back in Abby will look like she is winking.
Evergreen Veterinary Hospital made an update at Facebook Friday, writing: “Remember Abby? Abby was brought to Evergreen Veterinary Hospital at 4 weeks old after her rescuer noticed she had some peculiar wounds on her face. Dr. Magruder determined they were BB shot wounds!
“Well, “Abby” had her big surgery today! She was spayed and her damaged eye removed to prevent cancer that would likely form in that eye. She will spend the next 2 weeks healing and then she should be ready for her furever home!
“She is already purring away and loving our technician Chelsey’s TLC post op care. The best news is that the CT scan performed a few days ago showed she will likely not have any other residual damage from that traumatizing day! Any adoption inquiries please contact Salem Friends of Felines!”
Salem Friends of Felines shared the happy updates on Abby’s successful surgery at Facebook on Saturday, and added a reminder on the importance of spay and neuter, saying : “Abby is another kitten born to an unwanted cat that no one ever cared enough to spay. This is why we have our TNR (Trap, Neuter & Return) program for free roaming cats and the Low Cost Spay & Neuter Program for owned cats.”
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The Statesman Journal posted this short video with Abby and her doctor to accompany their story on her successful surgery:
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