For days, two tiny kittens cries were heard from behind high garden walls. Day and night.
No food, no clean water. A pile of rubbish for shelter with no easy way out. The occupier had been seen leaving.
Neighbours knocked daily, hoping they missed them coming back and hoping, this time, someone would answer. 4 days of knocking, but no one answered and we were contacted and asked for help.
The sight when we arrived was two frantic babies running back and forth along the gate, starving and desperate. When food appeared little "Gnome" defied logic and science squeezed herself under the gate, driven by hunger. "Gonk", only fractionally bigger, just couldn’t fit. He was left behind injured, terrified and trapped.
With the help of locals and council workers lots of ingenuity and patience, Gonk was finally in our arms and on the way to the vets. His tail had been snapped, badly damaged and later had to have a partial amputation.
Both kittens struggling, with their stomachs after days without food, were admitted to Briarhill Vets, for observation and fluids and while a Gonk bounced back quickly even after surgery it was Gnome who had us most concerned. She was skinny, weak and no longer interested in food. It was a waiting game to see if she could overcome this hurdle.
We left notices for an owner and still no one has come forward. No one has posted them missing. We don’t want to speculate. Sometimes there are circumstances we’ll never know about. But what we do know is this Animals, especially cats, are far too often expected to cope and fend for themselves. To survive on their "instincts" they cannot and many do not.
Gnome and Gonk were lucky. They were heard and they were helped. They are safe now and back together again. Both are gaining strength and have a much brighter future.
Thank you to the people who looked out for them who contacted us and who assisted in freeing Gonk. And, as always, to Briarhill Veterinary Clinic for taking such amazing care of our animals. No animal should ever be left like this.
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