28 Sept 2020
Neil Williams, clinical director at Quarry Vets, Shrewsbury, performs delicate operation to remove affected eye of 11-week-old kitten.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Neil Williams, Karen Ashton and the kitten after its surgery.
An 11-week-old kitten found dumped in a cardboard box has recovered after having life-saving surgery on a severely deformed eye performed by a Shrewsbury vet.
The kitten is now awaiting a new home thanks to the care and skill of Neil Williams, clinical director at Quarry Vets.
Found with three other kittens by a member of the public and brought in by a volunteer from Shropshire Cat Rescue, the as-yet-unnamed kitten was suffering from a badly deformed eye. However, the kitten was so young and weak Mr Williams was initially unsure he would survive an operation to remove it.
Mr Williams said: “We were unsure if he was born with the deformed eye or if he has suffered some kind of traumatic incident that had left him blind. His left eye was so grossly enlarged, his eyelids couldn’t close and it must have been extremely painful.
“But he was remarkably bright despite having such a terrible start to life, so we thought it was worth a chance to see if the surgery to remove his eye would work. The surgery carried a risk because the bony structure around the eye is much more delicate at that age as it is still forming and also it is quite close to the brain.
“The operation went smoothly and he recovered very well. He was so bright, he even removed the buster collar himself when he came round from the anaesthetic.”
Quarry Vets has cared for waifs and strays brought in by Shropshire Cat Rescue for 20 years. Karen Ashton from the organisation said: “It is not uncommon to find litters of kitten abandoned, although they are not usually dumped in the middle of nowhere like these four. They are often left on a doorstep or on the steps of a veterinary practice.
“When we’re told about them, we take them to the shelter and then get them checked over by Neil and the team and treated if necessary.”
