A STRAY CAT who was nursed back to health by volunteers at the SHUA Trust Home and Sanctuary in Sully before being adopted by an animal lover in Inverness, Scotland, is making a good recovery following a setback that led to him having his eye removed last week.
In July last year, Tony was rescued from Newland Street, Barry by volunteers from the sanctuary, who were heartbroken at his condition, as they noticed a gaping wound on his neck, a missing tail, and his paws were wounded and bloodied, and upon examination it was discovered he had cancer in his leg. X-rays showed he had been shot with a pellet, and staff described it as the worst case of animal abuse they had ever seen.
Tony was initially too weak to undergo surgery, but volunteers helped build his strength through a diet of chicken and tuna. He put on weight and underwent a successful procedure to remove his cancerous leg in late August last year, paid for in part by the generosity of Glamorgan Star readers.
Following a period of convalescence which saw him develop a thick, grey coat, Tony was adopted by Rhiannon, 43, who is originally from Swansea and had a high-flying career in the corporate sector, but found that it was not giving her the fulfilment she craved. She decided that she wanted to devote her life to caring for animals that did not have a home.
Rhiannon moved to Inverness, where she lives in a cottage next to a farm surrounded by woodland and spectacular views of the Beauly Firth. After reading of Tony’s plight online, she decided she could give him the wonderful, free-range life he deserved, and he was transported to his new home last November.
Tony was adapting well to his new surroundings, but he suffered a setback in late April when Rhiannon took him to the vet after his right eye became cloudy in appearance, and he was diagnosed with uveitis, a condition that causes the eye to become inflamed and in his case, the lens had moved.
Initial courses of eyedrops brought a degree of success, but as the weeks went by, the vet was concerned he could be in pain and suffering from migraines, and the decision was taken to remove his eye.
SHUA Trust volunteer Carol Campbell remains in regular contact with Rhiannon, and she provided an update on Tony’s condition: “Tony was going back and forth to the vet, and they said he could be in pain, so it was decided it was for the best that he had his eye removed.
“He had the operation on Monday and he’s doing OK at the moment. He’s still looking as handsome as ever!
“Tony is a real character and he’s taken everything in his stride. We all hope that once he’s recovered his ordeal will finally be over and he can get back to enjoying his new life among his beautiful surroundings, which is what he thoroughly deserves after all he’s been through,” she said.
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