16 Sept 2020
Kitten, thought to be only eight weeks old, shot four times with an air rifle and now living with vet who saved his life.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Vet Lucie McKenzie with Pirate.
A tiny kitten shot four times by thugs with an air rifle and left for dead has made a miracle recovery following emergency surgery – and has a new home with the vet who saved him.
The kitten, named Pirate and thought to be eight weeks old, underwent emergency surgery at Westway Vets in Consett, County Durham, to remove an eye, as well as air rifle pellets that had lodged in the neck, spine and skull.
Vet Lucie McKenzie was called out to an allotment in Wingate, County Durham, when residents raised the alarm about a kitten with an eye injury sheltering in a hen house.
At first she thought chickens had attacked and pecked him, and an open wound was riddled with maggots. He was put on fluids as he was so weak and was not expected to survive the night.
He underwent delicate surgery the following day, performed by Dr McKenzie and assisted by senior VN Jenny Johnson.
Dr McKenzie said: “A bullet had gone right through his eye and come out at the top of his skull, leaving it fractured. We removed his eye and the pellets, although he has still has one remaining in his spine, which shouldn’t cause him any problems.
“The surgery was so delicate because he is so small and there was a risk of his body temperature dropping. Taking an eye is difficult and there was a worry the maggots in the wounds would cause infection.
“The biggest fear was removing the bullet from the top of his skull. We didn’t know if he would wake up with brain damage. He lost one eye and couldn’t see out of the other one after the surgery, but, luckily, he has regained sight.”
Pirate has fully recovered from his ordeal, and is living with Dr McKenzie and a menagerie of rescue pets that includes three dogs and two cats.
Dr McKenzie added: “The night after the operation, Pirate was tucking into his dinner and, within five days, he was running around. He couldn’t stand and was very wobbly when I first found him because he was so badly injured and weak.
“He is a firm part of the family and will have a home with me for the rest of his life.
“The people who did this to a kitten are evil.”
