Stray cat on the mend after undergoing surgeries to remove eyes

Publish date: 2024-05-20

BOSTON (TND) — An animal organization is searching for the owner of a stray cat that survived "major trauma" and had to undergo "extensive medical care" to remove both his eyes.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell (MSPCA) said Gills is a resilient 2-year-old kitty that is "finally on the road to recovery."

In a news release, the MSPCA said Boston Animal Control found Gills in Dorchester suffering from serious injuries, with officers suspecting he was hit by a car. Animal Control then took the cat to Angell Animal Medical Center on May 10.

Honestly, Gills was in really tough shape when he came to us,” Deborah Bobek, who is the director of operations at the MSPCA's Boston Adoption Center, said in the release. "He had multiple fractures on his face, and he was in immense pain."

Dr. Rebecca Fellman, who is part of the team treating Gills at the MSPCA's Boston Adoption Center clinic, shared similar sentiments.

His face was so badly injured that we knew it would take several procedures to get him on the right path,” Fellman said.

His first of two surgeries took place three days after he was rescued.

“First, we removed one of his eyes and also used a wire to repair a fracture at the front of his jaw, but because of swelling, we needed to let some time pass before we could continue repairing his face," Fellman said.

“After that first procedure, Gills woke up purring and he was very sweet despite everything that he was going through,” she added. “So, we were confident that he had the fighting spirit needed to see this through.”

Fellman said Gills was given pain medication to ease his discomfort until he was ready for his second operation. His second eye was removed on May 16.

Now, he continues to recover in foster care.

“We believe that it’ll take about eight weeks for Gills’ facial fractures to heal and we’re able to remove the wire,” Fellman said. “He’ll remain in foster care during that time so we’re able to ensure everything is healing correctly.”

But the MSPCA is wondering if Gills' owner is searching for him -- and the organization is asking the public for help.

"It's possible that Gills is someone’s beloved pet who was badly injured when he got loose," said Bobek. "Often, it can be really overwhelming when people lose a pet. They might not know how and where to report it, and who to ask for help. No owner has come forward yet, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there."

The MSPCA urged anyone who has information about Gills or his family to contact the Boston Adoption Center. If the owner can't be identified, the organization said it will "search for adopters willing to open their home to this very special cat."

Learn more at mspca.org.

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