Firecracker, a 3-month-old kitten, was found as a stray by Iowa animal control, and the moment they picked him up, they realized something was wrong. The animal control officer quickly phoned the Jasper County Animal Rescue League to see if they could help because it looked like he had sustained major harm to his jaws and jaw.
“He had apparent injuries to his mouth and nose when he came to the shelter,” Rachel Long, director of the Jasper County Animal Rescue League, told The Dodo.
“The skin on the lower half of the jaw had been pulled back, revealing the jaw bone, and exhibiting obvious harm to his lower teeth.” “He also looked to have burned around his nose on the top half of his jaw.”
After being inspected by a veterinarian, it was determined that Firecracker had likely had something burst in his face, most likely a firecracker.
The vet determined that Firecracker had a fractured lower jaw and several missing teeth, and wired his jaw so that it could heal properly.
He also had to have the skin on his lower jaw stitched back into place and his burns extensively cleaned, which revealed that he was also missing parts of his nose.
Little Firecracker is extremely fortunate to have survived his trauma and, miraculously, will not suffer any long-term consequences as a result of it, with the exception of a few permanently missing teeth.
“He’s doing great,” Long added. “We have to be careful with him since his jaw is still quite painful, but he is eating and drinking on his own and enjoys snuggling in his bed.” Right now, he’s fearful, but he’s begun to trust and bond with his daily carers.”
When lighting off fireworks, it’s crucial to make sure there aren’t any animals in the vicinity that can be harmed, as most of them aren’t as fortunate as this cat. Firecracker, thankfully, will make a full recovery and will be available for adoption after his jaw has healed.
“We don’t expect any long-term medical difficulties,” Long added. “With him being so young, he should be able to bounce back.”
