The neighborhood came to the help of a neighbor when a fire started in their garden. When someone heard tiny, weak screams coming from the debris, they initially believed that everything was OK and that everyone was safe.
A little paw could be seen sticking out from behind the pile of wood after they moved a couple of the pieces. It belonged to a little kitten that was severely injured in the fire and in need of help.
The injured kitten, later named Phoenix, was rushed to the RSPCA, which started treating her wounds immediately. She had burns all over her tiny body, causing fur loss on her ears, paws, toes, tail and face.
She was in such bad condition when she first arrived that shelter staffers were worried she wouldn’t make it.
According to a news statement from RSPCA Felledge’s reception supervisor Luka Atkinson, “Phoenix was in a truly sad shape when she arrived.” It was difficult for us to see such a little kitten in such condition when she was only 6 weeks old. She was lucky to be alive despite having skin burned off of all four of her pads and fur singed on her face, stomach, and legs.
Phoenix was soon bathed and bandaged by staff, who also gave her lots of medicines to assist her through. They also kept her skin cold and moisturized. Her wounds were severe when she initially arrived, but after a few days, they only became worse.
“The vet said the injuries Phoenix had suffered were not direct burns from the flames, but rather heat burns from the blaze,” Atkinson said.
“This meant the full extent of her injuries took a few days to come out; initially, her fur looked singed and fuzzy but it gradually started to fall out.”
After a little while, though, Phoenix’s condition finally began to improve, and slowly the little kitten began to heal. Despite her injuries and her appearance, Phoenix has proven to be a very playful, loving little kitten, and throughout her recovery has still loved playing with the other kittens at the shelter and getting lots of cuddles from the staff.
Phoenix has a somewhat different face right now since her eyelid’s fur hasn’t yet fully grown back. However, staff members are giving her eye drops many times every day in the hopes that her eyelids will soon be completely healed. Phoenix truly is the loveliest kitty despite everything she has been through, so everyone who knows her hopes that people won’t be turned off by her odd-looking eyelids.
“She is such a happy little thing and she eats, plays and loves fuss just like any other kitten, and we hope people won’t be scared by her appearance while she heals,” Atkinson said.
“She runs riots with the other kittens at our center, so we are just so happy we gave her a chance and saved her life — she really is the luckiest kitten in Britain!”
