When our Animal Welfare Officers brought in three-year-old Cali last month, we immediately noticed the right side of his face was swollen. We suspected an infected cat bite was the cause, but couldn’t have predicted what we actually found.

Not only was Cali suffering from an abscess, he also had a needle and thread wrapped in a wad of fur stuck at the back of his throat. The needle, which Cali likely ingested by accident, could have easily pierced his throat or stomach or caused him to choke. Luckily, our vets were able to extract the object quickly and easily before it caused any further damage.

We also cleaned Cali’s abscess and removed some necrotic tissue; and after giving him some antibiotics and pain relief, we settled him into a warm and cosy cabin in our Cattery to recover. Although Cali showed signs of being domesticated, he had clearly been straying for some time given his wounds and predicament. His fur was also fairly matted, and he was a little bit underweight.

Despite his injuries and recent life on the streets, Cali was calm and friendly with our Cattery staff, and allowed us to stroke him as we tended to his wounds. He would happily sit on people’s laps and seemed relaxed in human company, if a bit quiet, which we expected given the extent of his injuries.

Over the next week, Cali’s abscess began to heal – we gently bathed it twice per day, and monitored his food intake to check that his injuries were not preventing him from eating or drinking. Miraculously, the needle and thread did not appear to have done any permanent damage – his appetite seemed normal, and he was able to clear his bowl easily.

Cali is incredibly lucky that we found him when we did, given the risks associated with swallowing a foreign object – especially something as small and sharp as a needle and thread. Our quick action undoubtedly saved Cali, and meant that we were also able to treat his abscess before that too became life-threatening. With nobody around to look out for him, Cali’s story could easily have had a much sadder ending.

Whilst Cali is not quite ready for rehoming yet, we expect his recovery to continue smoothly and hope to get him neutered, vaccinated and prepared for adoption later this summer.