Leoni, Summer Appeal

The last year has been difficult for us all, but we wouldn’t have been able to help as many cats as we have without your continued support, so thank you!

Your summer gift could save a life just like Leoni’s here at Skegness & District branch –

A brave puss who wouldn’t abandon her five tiny kittens, despite being the victim of a callous air gun attack. Stray cat Leoni was taken in by our Branch in July after being found with her five tiny kittens in a garden in Croft Bank.

A vet check revealed that the 18-month-old moggy had two air gun pellets lodged inside her – one behind her ear and another in her neck.

Volunteer Fiona said: “Poor Leoni must have been in agony for some time from her injuries, yet still she was caring for her five young kittens.

“At 18-months-old she’s barely an adult herself yet in her short life she has been attacked with an air gun, fended for herself as a stray and reared five kittens. And after all that, she’s the friendliest cat I’ve probably ever come across.

“It was such a shock to hear that somebody had done something so cruel to her.”

Leoni needed surgery to remove the pellets to prevent future /complications, due to their location.

Fiona said: “Leoni is a delightful cat and we’re so pleased she was discovered and we could get her the help she needed. Along with surgery to remove the pellets, she’s also now been neutered and her future looks much brighter.”

Leoni has been rehomed with one of her kittens, Leonard, while her other four kittens have also gone to new homes.

Sadly, Leonie’s story is not a one-off with many cats attacked by air guns every year, often sustaining life-changing or fatal injuries. Although official figures are not collected, Cats Protection’s monitoring of media reports shows that in 2020 there were over 100 reported cases of horrific air gun attacks on cats. 

As the world starts to open up again, here at Cats Protection, we will see cats who are ill having missed vaccinations. We will see litters of tiny, unwanted kittens whose young parents haven’t been neutered. Sadly, many people are struggling for financial, physical or mental health reasons due to the pandemic and as a result we will see many cats whose owners will come to us heartbroken, because they can no longer care for their beloved cat.

Cats Protection will always be here for the cats but now more than ever we need your help.

If you can give a donation to help cover vet bills like Leoni’s and help home kittens just like hers please support our appeal.

We thank every one of you who is helping us make a difference to cats locally.

Any money raised over and above our target to cover Leoni’s vet bills will go towards other cats in care here at Skegness and District branch.