A cat lost an ear when its owner couldn't take afford to take it to the vet for treatment. The owner has been charged with causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide vet treatment, and been disqualified from keeping all animals.
Milo came to the attention of the RSPCA after they received a call and photos of a cat with a bleeding ear. RSPCA Inspector Deb Scotcher attended the home and noticed the smell of infection.
She said: "I picked him up and could tell he was in pain. He was shaking his head and showing his discomfort." She told MyLondon: "His owner agreed we could take Milo to a vet so that he could be examined. A large part of his ear pinna was missing and the remaining tissue was crusted over with dried blood."
Deb added: "He was such a friendly and loving cat."
The vet decided his right ear would need to be amputated as the tissue was too severely damaged to be saved. The infection and destruction would have be causing Milo significant pain
Deb said: "During his treatment and care, Milo just kept on purring. I’ll never forget how sad it made me feel to see him so unwell but still purring for attention, even before he was given pain relief and antibiotics to keep him comfortable until his operation."
Tests revealed he had cancer in his right ear and to a lesser extent in his left ear. The results showed this would have
developed slowly and meant Milo was left without appropriate veterinary care for a considerable time, most likely to have been months.
The person responsible for Milo said they had noticed Milo's ear becoming red and sore six months prior and said they used antiseptic spray from a supermarket and warm salt water in an attempt to treat it. As well as the owner being disqualified from keeping pets, magistrates ordered them to pay a fine and costs.
While it was too late to save Milo's ear by the time he was rescued, the RSPCA managed to save his life, and now he’s with a new family.
Emma Brown said: "From the moment I first saw Milo, I kept going back and looking at him. He was an older boy with health conditions and I know just how hard it can be to find homes for older animals.
"I have a busy home so wanted to be sure Milo was happy to join our family. I decided to offer him a foster home first before signing the adoption papers just two weeks later, as he'd settled in perfectly and so quickly."
