A tiny burned kitten who nearly died aged just six weeks old is luckily now recovering well after fire scorched off her eyelashes, fur and paw pads.
Phoenix has risen from the ashes after being burned under a shed (Picture: SWNS)
Phoenix, named for obvious reasons, was completely trapped in the rubble underneath a garden shed which caught fire when flames spread from woodland.
She was so badly injured that she had to wear mittens on her paws and couldn’t close her eyes properly.
Her mom and siblings did manage to escape, but Phoenix, who was feral, couldn’t get away.
Thankfully the person who owns the shed heard a faint meowing from the rubble, then noticed the kitten’s paw sticking out between two pieces of wood.
She was very seriously injured and had to wear mittens while her paw pads grew back (Picture: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
She immediately called the RSPCA to help dig her out, and miraculously Phoenix survived the blaze on June 5.
She was then rushed to a vet for emergency treatment.
Her fur and the paws of her feet had been so badly singed from the thermal heat and her eye lashes and eye lashes had been completely burnt off.
Phoenix’s skin actually died and fell off in big patches as a result of heat damage.
After spending a total of two nights in the vets, Phoenix, who is now 14 weeks old, was transferred to RSPCA Felledge in Durham for nursing care.
She has been rehomed and is doing much better (Picture: North News)
Her eyelashes were burned (Picture: North News)
She’s on her way to recovery (Picture: North News)
She has been fostered by the centre’s reception supervisor, whose name is Luka Atkinson.
Luka stated: ‘The skin on all four of her pads was burnt off and the fur on her face, tummy and legs was singed – she was lucky to be alive.
‘It took a few days for the full extent of her injuries to come out; initially her fur looked singed and fuzzy but it gradually started to fall out and her skin started to crisp and fall off.’
After two months of completely devoted care, the fur on Phoenix’s body and the pads on the bottom of her feet have grown back.
Maggie Eden, who is the manager at RSPCA Felledge, said: ‘She felt hot for about a week, she was very hot to touch.
‘Her face looked a bit ugly for a while, she looked like a little gargoyle.
Get well soon Phoenix (Picture: North News)
She is ‘such a happy little thing’ (Picture: North News)
‘We had to inject fluids into her to make sure she was hydrated. We also had to dress her feet, bath her and give her painkillers.
‘She was frightened as much as anything by the ordeal.
‘Now she is very pretty again.’
The RSPCA Sunderland branch kindly covered the cost of Phoenix’s vet treatment.
Luka went on to say: ‘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.
‘She runs riots with the other kittens at our centre so we are just so happy we gave her a chance and saved her life.’
h/t: metro.co.uk
