Article Blue Mountains Gazette 3 May 2023

Early January 2023:

BMD Cat Welfare Rescuers were asked to visit a home near Lithgow NSW to help with a very sick kitten. The resident having no money to take it to the vet. 

The sick kitten (Lucky) was in a bad way with burns and blisters to her paws and a suspected broken pelvis.

As a result of this initial contact, rescuers became aware that it was evident they had come across an emergency cat rescue and serious cat hoarding situation.  After hours of negotiations with the residents of the house, BMD rescuers were able to successfully rescue 30 cats and kittens from the house.

The most challenging and distressing cat rescue that volunteers have encountered to date. The extent of the cat hoarding situation was much worse than initially thought.

The cats were in appalling condition- starved, flea-ridden (fleas so big they were picked off with tweezers!), exhausted, full of worms, and desperate. Some appeared seriously mistreated, and they ALL needed desexing.

Dead cats were in the house, and many others needed urgent vet care.

None of the cats have ever seen a vet in their lives. The rescuers felt ill, confronted with the cats' state and the housing condition. 'I will never forget the smell and look of desperation on the cats' faces.'

BMD Rescuers and Carers did everything possible for the cats and kittens.

Later:

Update: April 2023

All surviving cats and kittens have been desexed, microchipped, and vaccinated. 

Sadly, some kittens didn't make it as their injuries were too severe.

One Rescued Family:

Roger Ramjet & Wee Willie

Lucky (black) & Smiley (white)

Mumma cat Cherry and her three babies: Roger Ramjet, Wee Willie, and Smiley, plus Lucky, who she took on as one of her babies, were five of the 30 cats and kittens rescued.

Smiley and Lucky had bonded and were best friends. Sadly, Smiley has minimal vision.  At first, it was thought he had cataracts, but this was not the case. 

Various tests revealed that he has brain trauma caused by his environment and conditions before coming into care.

The brain trauma intermittently impairs his vision, and bright lights cause discomfort. However, he is not in any pain.

Now up for adoption (May 2023), Smiley is a happy and healthy boy who loves to show affection. He needs a particular person to give him the home he deserves. He may have special needs. However, the right person in the right home will cherish him.

The damage done by all the inbreeding and awful conditions is evident. Roger Ramjet is remarkably cross-eyed, and Smiley has vision problems and something strange happening with his back legs. But these cats are happy and safe.

Lucky's Story:

When Lucky came into the care of BMD, she had burns and blisters to the bottom of her paws and no movement to her back legs. 

Everyone loved Little Lucky for her determination and will to live. Nothing seemed to stop her from getting around despite having to drag herself along. She played with the other kittens and pushed them out of the way to get to the food bowls. She loved her food.

The blisters on Lucky's paws had mainly healed.

The vets said that Lucky had nerve damage to her back legs and believed that with physio and stimulation to her legs, she could use them again in time. 

Lucky was making fantastic progress in her Foster Home, dragging herself along the floor to get around. She was pretty quick, given her condition.

Lucky's daily bathtime physio was paying off as she gained more movement in her back legs.

May 2023:  Lucky - Update Message:

From BMD Senior Carer, Chris

'Fly high little Lucky, know how loved you are, and rest easy.'

"We are broken-hearted to tell you that beautiful little Lucky has passed away.

During a procedure at the vet earlier this week, Lucky went into cardiac arrest. They tried their best to get her back, but unfortunately, she didn't make it.

We cannot thank Hartley Valley Vets enough for their compassion, care, and kindness. We know they felt her loss as deeply as we have, and we appreciate their work throughout Lucky's life to keep her as healthy as possible.

We have all admired the tenacity of little Lucky's spirit, her ability to overcome obstacles, and her sweetness in the face of the horrible things she had faced. She was our special girl, and it's heartbreaking to say goodbye to her.

Funds donated for Lucky's ongoing care will help her siblings and other cats in care, as every cent given to us goes to the cats and kittens.

We hope that everyone who has followed Lucky's journey and contributed to her ongoing care finds some peace in how much you all loved her and how much we all loved her.

Fly high little Lucky, know how loved you are, and rest easy."

 Acknowledgements & Gratitude:

We are so grateful to everyone for responding to our plea to help raise funds for caring for these cats and kittens.

The cost of food, litter, flea, worming treatments, and vet bills for 30+ cats and kittens has been enormous. We could not have done it without your support.

Special Thank You to:-

• Hartley Valley Vets, for the fantastic support given throughout this challenging time
• Pet Health Hub at Lawson for taking cats and kittens into the Hub and caring for them when they were there.  Two of the kittens found their forever homes through the Hub

All these cats and the ones to follow will continue to need support.

Can You Help Save A Life?

All these cats and the ones to follow will continue to need support.

What is a 'Hoarder Situation'?

Cat Hoarding occurs when people keep many more pets than they can provide with a minimum standard of care, such as shelter, veterinary care, sanitation, and adequate nutrition. Hoarders generally have accumulated the cats attempting to care for them. However, the accumulation of cats becomes more important than the welfare of the cats. People are overwhelmed and unable to function appropriately.

A Hoarder Situation can be highly emotional for rescuers and hoarders alike.

More Information on Cat Hoarding:

• RSPCA:  What is Animal Hoarding & Why is it harmful to animals?
• Pet Professional: Animal Hoarding