Help: Three legged cat needs owner

A Tauranga trainee veterinarian is appealing to the public to find the owner of a three legged cat after it was hit by a car and left for dead.

The short haired ginger cat was left with a badly broken leg when it was hit by a car on Sterling Gate Drive in Bethlehem last weekend and had to have its leg amputated.

This cat was left for dead after being hit by a car on Sterling Gate Drive on Friday. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga resident Firth Bartlett was alerted to the cat by a neighbour, who found it left on the side of the road and has since taken the cat to Holistic Vets where it is being cared for.

 “I was sitting and watching television last Friday night, and the neighbour came knocking at the door and asked us if we had a ginger cat. Because they assume all the cats in the neighbourhood are ours.

“I said no, why? He said one has been hit on the road.”

Firth, who is training as a veterinary nurse, went out to the road where the cat at first appeared to be dead.

“I went to get a shovel to move it and it had crawled off under the hedge.

“I’m working at a vet’s practice doing my nursing training and went out and had a look under the hedge and here was this beautiful cat, with a very, badly broken back leg.”

Since the weekend, Frith has been frantically trying to find the cat’s owner but so far has had no luck.

“No one has come forward. He is just a gorgeous, gorgeous boy.

“He’s just been a perfect love. He kind of sings when he tries to eat. He’s a domestic, short-haired, ginger cat around three to five-years-old.”

Frith says if the cat’s owner is not found he will have to be put up for adoption.

“Holistic Vets have put him up on their Facebook page and he will be available for adoption from today.”
Frith hopes between now and then, she finds the cat’s owner.

If you have any information about the ginger cat please contact Holistic Vets on 578 7054.