Mystery as cat staggers home impaled on wooden spike

The RSPCA has launched an investigation, after a cat returned to her home impaled with a wooden stick which narrowly missed vital organs.

The cat, called Kensi, staggered home to her owners in Cippenham Lane in Slough last Friday morning, managing to pull herself through the cat flap, run upstairs and jump on her owner’s bed, despite her severe injury.

The 30cm long and sharpened wooden stick, with string tied around it, had entered four-year-old Kensi’s body through her side above her liver, and could be seen almost protruding through the skin at her neck.

Her shocked owners rushed her to a vet immediately, where she underwent emergency life-saving surgery, which revealed the stick had punctured Kensi’s diaphragm and damaged her thorax.

Owner Kim Lawrence said: ‘Our whole family is just so shocked and upset by what has happened to Kensi, she’s the most affectionate, loving cat and she didn’t deserve this.

‘It is a miracle she is still alive.

‘She’s brought up local orphaned kittens in the past and been a companion for our elderly blind dog who passed away recently.

‘She’s such a special girl and it is horrible to think somebody may have done this to her on purpose.’

RSPCA Inspector Rebecca Timberlake who is investigating said: ‘This is completely shocking and very disturbing, poor Kensi must have been in so much pain.

‘Thank goodness she managed to get herself home where her owners were able to get her urgent vet treatment, which undoubtedly saved her life.

‘At the moment, we’re not sure how this happened, whether it was an accident and Kensi somehow fell onto the sharp stick, or if it was something more sinister.

‘There is the possibility this may have been done on purpose to harm her.

‘Either way, we’re asking anyone with any information to get in touch with the Police, or the RSPCA in complete confidence by leaving a message for me on our inspector’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.’

Thankfully, Kensi is making good progress recovering in veterinary care, though she has required extensive treatment in order to save her life.

Veterinary surgeon Katie Haught of Alma Vets in Windsor who are treating Kensi said: ‘It’s difficult to say for sure how this happened to sweet Kensi, but we do know the stick appears to have been modified by someone, it resembles a spear-type shape with string wrapped around it, with one end appearing to be sharpened.

‘We are concerned that there may have been malicious intent in her injury.

‘The stick was very firmly wedged inside Kensi’s abdomen and chest, and she underwent major surgery, but luckily it missed all her vital organs.’