Stray Cat Hit By Car And Found In A Puddle Of Blood; Witnesses Act Fast To Save His Life

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No one starts their day wanting to be a bystander to an accident. The horror, the blood and the gore can stay in movies–that I don’t have to see. But to witness another living being experiencing a horrific event is traumatizing for everyone. Thankfully there are first responders and brave humans who leap into action during these times. For one stray cat struggling to live on the streets of Boston, he found himself smack dab in the middle of one of these situations. Actually, it was in the middle of the street where he had come face to face with danger. And sadly, his reaction time wasn’t enough to save him from colliding with a swiftly moving vehicle.

When witnesses found him lying in a pool of his own blood and barely clinging to life, they lept into action.

A Good Samaritan had apparently stumbled upon the 2-year-old Snowshoe cat lying near an outdoor staircase in the Jamaica Plain area. Severely injured, the cat was unresponsive and had lost an extreme amount of blood.

They immediately made a phone call to the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL). And that call is what literally saved the lucky cat’s life. Well one of the nine anyways.

The ARL Field Services team arrived on scene and found a scared and suffering feline. Making sure to approach carefully, they were able to finally “coax the hurting, but hungry, cat into a carrier with food.” The terrified boy was then taken to the ARL’s Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center for emergency medical treatment.

They named him Space Ghost.

And when they saw the extend of his injuries and the blood loss, they knew there was no time to spare.

The cat was thin, dehydrated, severely muscle wasted, and quiet. He also had outward physical injuries including scabbing, several broken toenails, and a fractured tooth. However, it was his internal injuries that were concerning.

X-rays revealed foreign matter in his stomach and colon, bruised lungs and severe pneumothorax (air in the chest outside the lungs).

With their experienced staff taking control of the situation, Space Ghost was soon alert and showing improvements.

“He had some significant blunt trauma to his chest,” ARL veterinarian Emily Forline said. “As soon as we pulled off the air from his chest… he immediately perked right up.”

According to their press release, he continues to improve daily.

Throughout an entire day, ARL shelter medicine staff tapped Space Ghost’s chest to remove more than 100mL of air, which in turn made the cat much more comfortable. Since this procedure, Space Ghost has made remarkable strides.

Space Ghost will be monitored for the next week or two and then be made available for adoption.

When the local NBC Boston News covered the amazing story, they visited him at the shelter. And from the looks on the staff and volunteer faces, he seems to be a welcome temporary guest.

“He’s been doing great here, he’s been gaining weight slowly,” Forline said.

ARL is thankful to the Good Samaritan for their quick actions to save the life of this animal. ARL is the only animal welfare agency in Massachusetts able to respond to this type of emergency situation in the field, and the organization looks forward to getting Space Ghost healthy and into a loving home.