7-year-old Shadow wasn’t expected to survive after his cruel owner poured boiling water all over his body and left him with severe untreated burns and ‘in excruciating pain’ for days. But thanks to the RSPCA’s persistence, the animal was rescued and nursed back to life.
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‘In excruciating pain’
A member of the public tipped off the RSPCA about Shadow who was suffering from serious, untreated injuries for some days, and the animal inspectors headed to a property to check on the pet.
Though Shadow’s owner wasn’t too keen about their visit, he confirmed that the animal was injured and 'in excruciating pain' but initially refused to hand him over, prolonging his suffering.
When the inspectors finally got their hands on Shadow, they were shocked by how horrendous his injuries were.
Inspector Catherine Byrne said:
The poor cat had extensive untreated wounds across the whole of his body and on his face and ears. It appeared to be raw scald wounds and was clearly visible amongst the cat's fur. I could see the cat's fur falling off in clumps.
Horrendous wounds
The animal inspectors rushed the kitty to the vet.
Shadow’s wounds were smelly, with puss underneath, and the area behind his right ear saw skin and fur ‘falling off in a thick piece’. A large raw scald wound extended from the inside of the pet's right front leg across his chest to the inside of and down his left front leg.
The cat was walking gingerly and shaking his feet. The vet pointed out that the pet was also missing some toenails. It was obvious that he was in awful pain.
The vet sedated the cat and clipped his coat which exposed the full extent of the tragedy, but the rescue team were determined to fight for his recovery rather than put him to sleep.
Shadow’s wounds were cleaned and he was placed on a drip in an isolation pod.
Sadly, he had to have the tip of one ear amputated as it was severely burnt. There were fears he may also lose his right eye but fortunately, this was not necessary.
Extreme animal cruelty
In an attempt to cover up the extreme animal cruelty, Shadow’s owner came up with a story and claimed that his cat had 'knocked over' a kettle and that the hot water had fallen on him. But an independent veterinarian and the evidence showed the injuries were caused by the water being deliberately poured on the pet.
The man was banned from keeping all animals for ten years and given an 18-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months.
Happy in a loving home
Shadow was terrified of men for many months after the attack. But under the care of the RSPCA, he gradually became more trusting. When he was ready physically and emotionally, he was adopted into a loving home.
The kitty still has to wear a special vest to stop him from scratching his healing wounds but he is enjoying his new life as a house cat. His new owner says he loves nothing more than to cuddle and show affection.
Head to RSPCA's website to help cats like Shadow, learn more about the charity and support their vital animal welfare and rescue work.
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