Cat shot in the face

Kilo the cat has used up several of his 9 lives at a mere 2 years old! He was found badly injured, with a face full of shotgun pellets and a broken jaw. Why he was shot, and by whom, will never be known.

Under Les Amis care he was sent to a specialist vet for assessment and treatment, which involved an operation to repair his jaw and fix it firmly in place while it heals. A feeding tube was inserted and a quiet foster home was found for Kilo to recover from his dreadful injuries.

Upper and lower jaw fractures in cats happen as a result of trauma, usually after fall, fights with other animals (especially larger dogs) or car accidents. Less common are fractures caused by tooth decay, metabolic disease or cancer. Symptoms include swelling or injuries around the mouth, misalignment, reluctance to close mouth and sometimes refusal to eat. A fractured jaw is extremely painful for cats (and anyone else!) and veterinary care should be sought immediately.

In straightforward fractures, treatment is sometimes a case of immobilising the jaw, (for example using a muzzle), or creating an external skeleton, threading pins through the skin into the bone. If the fracture is more severe, then it will be necessary to place metal plates and/or screws into the bone. Pain medication and anti-inflammatories are generally prescribed to ease discomfort and swelling. 

Kilo’s recovery was not straightforward – he suffered a very serious setback when his feeding tube became badly infected and had to be removed during another operation. At the same time they were able to take out the structure holding his jaw immobile, which meant that afterwards he was able to start eating normally again. Thankfully, he made an amazing recovery – again! Once his stitches were taken out he was also able to clean himself.

Kilo’s happy ending is that 3 months after his operations (during which he was receiving after op care) Kilo found his forever home. 

A word from Kilo’s fosterer: “During the period I was tube feeding him, washing him and taking him to the vets regularly, someone asked me was it really worth it all, perhaps he should just be put to sleep. I think the after pictures says it all.” 

To his huge credit, Kilo remained cheerful and loving throughout his ordeal. Kilo’s personality came out as he recovered: “he is quite a vocal cat and revels in attention and claiming lap time. Kilo is probably the cuddliest cat in France!”