The cat in the photo is Sissi: when she came home from her usual evening stroll recently, she was unable to put any weight on her left front leg. When her owner brought her to see me, I took x-ray pictures to find out what was wrong. I was dismayed at what I found: Sissi had been shot with a high powered rifle. The top of her humerus (upper arm bone) had been shattered beyond any hope of repair.
We are hoping that Sissi will recover some use of her leg with time and natural healing, but there’s still a risk that she may have to have her left foreleg amputated. Of course, it could be far worse: she could have died.
The gun attack on Sissi was not directly linked to Halloween, but it does serve as a reminder that it can be dangerous for cats to be out and about in the hours of darkness, especially when people are throwing fireworks around.
For the sake of your pets’ health and safety, please keep them indoors in these coming days and weeks.
To hear more about Sissi’s story, watch the video clip and listen to the podcast by clicking on the links below.
Please note that I am unable to answer veterinary questions in comments. If you have questions or concerns about your pet's health it is always better to contact your vet.