When a young stray kitten was brought to the MSPCA-Angell veterinarians in Boston, Massachusetts, she was in serious pain.
The kitty, who was later named Nickie, had a collar embedded around her neck. It was so tight, her skin had begun to grow around it, and she could barely eat because it was restricting her throat.
Nickie was found by a good Samaritan who knew she needed rescuing, and brought her to the shelter. There, she finally had the torturous item surgically removed.
As it turns out, this little tabby is quite a sweetheart!
“This unfortunately is an injury we’ve seen before,” Dr. Cox, director of shelter medicine for the MSPCA, said in a story published by the MSPCA. According to the article, the vet performs these types of surgeries once or twice a year.
“This was a very serious case: The skin had grown around the collar and we had to cut all the way around her neck to free her,” she added.
Since Nickie was wearing a collar, her rescuers think that she once had a family who either abandoned or neglected her. They said that even if an owner does come forward, the kitty is not going back to whoever may have done this to her.
“It’s inexcusable for any animal to suffer so unnecessarily and if an owner could be identified, that person could be facing felony animal cruelty charges,” MSPCA adoption center manager Alyssa Krieger said in the article.
The good news is that Nickie is feeling much better, and has a bright future ahead of her. She has already been spayed, and once she heals, she’ll be ready for her forever home!
We’re so glad that this beautiful kitty finally has a chance to live the happy, healthy life that she deserves – she’s certainly a trooper!
(h/t: MSPCA)
Featured image: MSPCA-Angell via Facebook