A small cat is recovering at a BC SPCA branch in northern B.C. after being run over by a vehicle along an icy winter road.
The incident happened earlier in December, when a semi-truck driver saw what he thought was a dark spot along the road ahead – only to find out it was a tortoiseshell cat struggling to stay alive after being run over by an oncoming vehicle, BC SPCA said in a statement Thursday (Dec. 31).
“Thankfully the kind-hearted truck driver came to a halt and went out into the cold to investigate,” the animal welfare organization said.
“He was shocked to see that despite the direct hit, she was clinging to life although unable to move.”
It’s believed the female cat had been wandering and became hypothermic before collapsing in the middle of the road, where she became frozen to the pavement.
Once in the care of BC SPCA in Fort St. John, where the cat was given fluids and placed in a warming tent, she gradually became bright and alert, allowing the staff to continue their assessment of her other serious injuries which include a severely fractured knee, skin wounds and road rash. The estimated cost for ongoing care is $2,500.
The cat, which doesn’t have a name yet, is “extremely friendly and was purring and kneading the vet’s smocks as soon as she began to recover from her hypothermia,” the BC SPCA said.
“She is gentle and trusting despite her injuries. Her badly broken leg does not stop her from trying to investigate her new surroundings and seek attention from anyone who will stop to see her.”
It’s unclear when it will be up for adoption, but people can submit a possible name for the cat on the agency’s website.
The BC SPCA has made a callout for donations to help pay for the cat’s care. Roughly $15,000 has been raised as of noon Thursday.
Black Press Media has reached out for more details.
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