Poor Felix has had a harrowing experience and been through unimaginable trauma, yet still he has such zest for life and he truly wants to live. Please help us give this miraculous little trooper the best chance possible at a long and happy life.

Felix arrived at HH on the 20th September in a pitiful condition - emaciated, dehydrated and throwing up large pieces of rubber. We rushed him to Vale Vets who carried out investigations and found that he not only had a stomach full of rubber, but also a hernia in his abdomen and his internal organs were in his chest cavity...This type of injury is often seen when cats are kicked in the stomach, so we believe poor Felix who has no street smarts whatsoever, had approached someone thinking they might help him, and been kicked instead. Without hope and at the point of starvation he had eaten large chunks of plastic, and was mere hours from death.

It was nothing short of miraculous that Felix made it through the surgery. However, it was a major procedure and his body was so weak he wasn't out of the woods just yet, and the next few days were critical. He had endured intense suffering, and even though he had been given the best care possible, it could be that everything had just been too much for his tiny body. With every new day that he awoke, bright eyed and asking for food, we were made fully aware of his determination and desire to live. When he was strong enough to leave the vets, he was placed in foster care with our Fundraiser who kept a watchful eye on him and fell in love with him immediately. He ate like a horse and was slowly but steadily gaining weight, and showed how grateful he was to be warm and safe with deep purrs and head bumps.

But Felix's trauma wasn't over just yet... Only 11 days after first being fostered, Felix started to breathe rapidly and laboriously, and had to be urgently rushed to the vets for another x-ray and fluid was found in and around his lungs. Over the next few days his breathing rate was monitored closely by Vale Vets and the decision was made to take him to Langford Vet Surgery to have further tests, where it was discovered that he has a dilated bile duct, anemia and fluid in his abdomen. As his body has been pushed to such limits and is still in survival mode, it is difficult to know exactly what is wrong with Felix. We mutually decided that as he has been through so much and whilst he is so happy in himself, it would be kinder not to put him through any more invasive tests for the time being. He is back with our Fundraiser and on a course of medication that he seems to be thriving on. He's putting on weight, has played for the first time and is even jumping on top of counters asking for snacks! It is however clear his two months on the streets have traumatised him, as he is terrified of loud noises and will cower in fear or run away when he is spooked.

Felix has fought against all the odds and is one of the sweetest cats we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He asks politely for a stroke with a slow, gentle paw and sits like an angel when his claws are trimmed. He leaps at any chance to sit on your lap and purrs contentedly with a smile on his adorable little face. More than anything he loves snuggling up on the sofa, staring at you lovingly whilst one paw is extended so it touches your cheek. For Felix to have been through so much, and be such an affectionate cat is a testament to his loving nature. Felix wants to live. He loves life and has so much of it within his little body, that we are committed to giving him every opportunity we can.

The story of how Felix got to where he is now is sad for everyone involved. His owner's mother passed away, and she had to leave the country for the funeral. Felix and his sister were left with a member of the family who unfortunately had no knowledge about cats and instead of keeping them in for four weeks, let them outside after just a few days and both of them went missing in a city they didnt know. Felix was straying for two months and in that time his owner cancelled his insurance, believing the worst had happened and that she would never see him again. From the moment Felix started vomiting the rubber pieces, his bills quickly escalated into the thousands, and without insurance his owner could not afford to pay them. Knowing Felix's health issues may not be over and his now pre-existing issues would not be covered by any insurer, he has been signed over to us so he can receive the best chance possible at a long and happy life. The search for Felix's sister continues and we desperately hope that she is still out there, surviving, and that some kind soul will stop to help her. We do not share this part of the story to incite any ill will towards his previous owner, but as a reminder about the importance of insurance. If your pet goes missing, many insurers will pay out to help with the cost of posters and flyers, and if the worst happens, many will backdate the payment and refund you.

The total of Felix's veterinary care is well over £5,400, even with a charity discount kindly given to us from both Vale Vets and Langford Small Animal Referrals. We will always do everything we can to ensure every cat or dog in our care has the best chance possible at a long and happy life, and treat each animal as the very special individual they are. If you can, please share Felix's appeal and give whatever you can, so we can help Felix and the hundreds of animals like him who come into our care, and who just want to live. Thank you.