Maxwell’s £3,700 Leg: Shelter kitten is helped by Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick

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By Karen Harrison Binette

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January 2, 2015: We’ve got a long journey and big day ahead today with little Maxwell. We’re just about to set off for Surrey in the hope that Fitzpatricks Referrals will be able to fix his badly broken leg. After seeing his Xrays they’re aware it’s going to be a tricky operation but we have faith that if anyone can fix it, they can! Thanks to our fosterer Helen for collecting him on New Years Eve and spending the afternoon in our vets with him and thanks also to Hannah (one of the awesome Knotts Yard vets!) for taking him home to keep him well medicated until his referral and surgery could be arranged. We know we’re facing huge bills but it has to be worth it to give 14 week old Maxwell the chance to stay on four legs as his only other option is amputation. – Feline Care Cat Rescue (via Facebook)

 

A young kitten who came to a cat rescue after a serious leg injury is walking again thanks to all-out efforts to keep his leg.

Little Maxwell the kitten was the 330th cat Feline Care Cat Rescue and Rehoming Centre in East Harling, Norfolk UK admitted in 2014, arriving on the final day of the year, New Years Eve.

He had a badly broken foreleg and after initial x-rays with the animal charity’s vets, they realized the fracture was so bad that the only way to save his leg would be with the skills of Fitzpatrick Referrals in Surrey. As his secondary option was amputation Feline Care Cat Rescue decided they’d have to take the plunge and risk the major surgery he needed to keep him on all four paws, despite the hefty cost of about £3,700.

A month after his surgery, Little Maxwell is enjoying that hoped-for life on all four paws after his shattered leg was saved by the skill of Channel Four TV’s ‘Supervet’ Noel Fitzpatrick, best known in the US for giving Oscar the Bionic Cat his prosthetic legs, in a groundbreaking operation a few years back.

Feline Care Cat Rescue turned to their friends  in an appeal to help raise the money to pay to help Maxwell keep his leg.  After a couple thousands pounds had been raised, a single donor, Christine Harris, gave the final £1,700 needed to reach the target to cover all Maxwell’s bills, in memory of her father Aubrey Swinburne.

Molly Farrar manager at Feline Care, said: “We knew it would be expensive, but we simply couldn’t bring ourselves to amputate the leg of such a young cat when we knew there was a realistic chance of saving it.”

The young kitten was admitted to the rescue centre after he suffered an accidental injury when his owner pulled him out from playing behind an oven.

Ms Farrar said: “We are so grateful to Noel and his team for what they did.

“It took two surgeons three hours to operate, and Maxwell now has eight screws and a metal plate holding his humerus in place. The leg was weight-bearing within 24 hours; he’s a lovely little chap and he’s amazed us with his miraculous recovery.”

Within days, the sixteen-week-old kitten was able to place weight on his leg as he tucked into to his dinner (see photo below). Maxwell  has a new home with kittens his own age lined up for him to go to when he is fully recovered.

Feline Care Cat Rescue put up a Maxwell’s leg fund! at mydonate page to accept online donations and keep track of the total, between online and offline donations. They’ve raised £3820.50, an amount comfortably over the £3700.00 goal for Maxwell’s surgery. Funds over the needed amount will go to help other cats. The charity’s vet bills routinely reach around £3,000 per month.

A recent update at Feline Care Cat Rescue’s Facebook page said Little Maxwell is doing great in his healing and is getting tired of cage rest.

 

 

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January 2: We love the M25 when there’s no traffic on it! After a shorter journey than expected we’ve just arrived at Fitzpatricks Referrals with Maxwell. The little chap has travelled without complaint and had used his litter tray for pee and poop by the time we reached Newmarket! He’s amazing us with his relaxed approach, though we’re guessing all his pain relief is helping!  – Feline Care Cat Rescue (via Facebook)

 

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Before and after x-rays of Maxwell’s leg…. thanks to the miracle workers at Fitzpatrick Referrals! They really had their work cut out to fix him and we’re still crossing our fingers that the fracture won’t have effected his delicate growth plate too much, though he will cope with a slightly shorter leg. – Feline Care Cat Rescue (via Facebook)
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January 5: Very pleased to have Maxwell home after his huge journey and three hours on the operating table with Fitzpatrick Referrals. He’s a little angel and is sleeping soundly at the moment. – Feline Care Cat Rescue (via Facebook)
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January 6: Maxwell tucking into his dinner with gusto and standing on his ‘special’ leg! He’s mastered the art of eating with a collar on immediately which makes life much easier as getting it on and off stresses him out a bit. – Feline Care Cat Rescue (via Facebook)

 

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