SPCA Vet Partnership in action: Catniss’ story

When a member of the public spotted a significant amount of blood on a road near Queenstown, they suspected the worst. After searching for its source, they found a cat who was terribly injured, but still alive. With blood coming from her ears, nose and mouth, she was rushed to Remarkable Vets, SPCA’s vet partner in the area, where she was immediately put on morphine to manage her pain.

In cases such as these, where there is no owner to cover veterinary costs, SPCA is there to ensure animals receive the emergency care they need. SPCA is committed to be of service and caring for all animals in need, regardless of location, and our network of Centres, vet partnerships and foster homes make this possible.

It was the beginning of a long journey of recovery for this sweet cat, who was given the name Catniss by staff at Remarkable Vets. Given the extent of her injuries, it was often touch and go while Catniss received intensive treatment for her head trauma. As time passed, she was still breathing extremely quickly, and struggled to move her hips.

As with many animals under SPCA’s care, Catniss needed time in a foster home to receive ongoing treatment while she recovered. Anna, a staff member at Remarkable Vets, decided to take her home and provide her the intensive care and quiet, calm home environment she needed to heal.

“As a vet nurse helping provide her care, I was struck by her wonderful personality despite what she was going through,” Anna says. Despite what you might expect of a vet nurse, this isn’t something Anna typically does! “I'm the rare vet nurse that doesn't usually take all the waifs and strays home, but there was something special about this one.”

It was an uphill battle for Catniss, and during her first few weeks at home with Anna, she had a lot of issues. She was unable to get up and down from the bed or couch, and was incredibly wobbly when trying to walk. Despite this, she was very affectionate. “All she wanted was cuddles!”

After several weeks, she showed signs of improvement, and the entire team at Remarkable Vets and SPCA breathed a sigh of relief… Catniss was going to make it. The next step? Finding her a loving forever home! After being so invested in her care though, Anna struggled with the idea of saying goodbye.

“We had a family meeting,” Anna recalls. “We decided she was a forever cat for us, and we started the formal adoption process. My last cat Jimmy was also an SPCA rescue and I am so grateful to SPCA for giving animals like them a chance for recovery and a family.”

Fast-forward to today, and Catniss has made herself well and truly at home with Anna and family, which also includes a new furry member! “We recently adopted a dog – a greyhound – and Catniss has totally taken it in her stride. She is the funniest cat, very cuddly, playful and loving, and loves to help in the garden and accompany us on walks around the neighbourhood.”

Catniss’ is just one of so many success stories only made possible throughout Aotearoa New Zealand because of SPCA’s network of fantastic vets, willing and able to offer services in all corners of the country.