An eleven-month old cat at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has been learning to walk after being found in an alleyway unable to use her back legs.
Fortunately for the young cat, a passing couple noticed a pushchair had appeared in an alleyway by their home in Lambeth and when they went to investigate a few hours later, they spotted a small black and white cat trying to crawl away.
After taking her home and feeding her, the couple took her to Battersea’s London centre where staff named her Moomin before taking her straight to the onsite clinic for emergency x-rays and pain medication.
Following tests and x-rays, Battersea’s clinical team discovered Moomin was suffering from Metaphyseal Osteopathy, a disease that can severely affect an animal’s mobility and bones. 
In this case, the disease had led to a fracture in Moomin’s right back leg and a reduced bone density in her rear left leg, issues which required complex surgery to rectify.
The disease is fortunately rare in cats; however, treatment is essential to guarantee a good quality of life, and animals with this condition may face medical issues again further down the line.
Staff at Battersea suspect that Moomin’s original owners may have learned of her condition and the associated potential veterinary costs, before deciding to abandon her.
Once Moomin had recovered from surgery, she began an intensive course of physiotherapy and exercises to get her moving around. To help her recuperate, she went to stay with a foster carer who helped her to learn to use her legs in a home environment until she was ready to return to Battersea and begin her search for a new home.
Rachel Saunders, Battersea’s Cattery Manager said: “Moomin has really come a long way since she first arrived at Battersea. It was heart breaking to see such a young cat struggling to walk and clearly in pain. We’re incredibly grateful to the members of the public who did the right thing by rescuing her from an uncertain fate and bringing her to us.
“Moomin has been a sweet natured cat throughout her ten-week stay has won staff and volunteers over with her purring and inquisitive ways. After a wobbly start to life, Moomin has now found her feet and we hope it won’t be long until she also finds a new home.”
Moomin isn’t the only cat at Battersea currently hoping to be adopted. Cats including the distinguished tuxedo cat Prince Benjamin, six-month old bundle of fun Elsie and mother and daughter pair Olive and Snow White the British Shorthairs, are all waiting for their ideal owners to come along
To find out more about Moomin or any of Battersea’s other cats, you can visit www.battersea.org.uk/cats.
