Elderly cat who needed part of her ears removed is now looking for a home

The RSPCA is looking to find a home for an elderly cay who needed parts of her ears removed when she developed skin cancer.

Golden oldie Ysabeau, a 13-year old cat, was rescued by the RSPCA in June and is now in the care of RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre in South Yorkshire.

This senior girl was found living rough in Doncaster with a nasty abscess on her neck and cancerous growths on her ear tips, so she was in need of some TLC.

The veterinary staff removed the affected parts of her ears and gave her treatment for the painful abcess.

Tammy Wilson, Animal Care Manager at RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre, said: “We explained to Ysabeu that she is still beautiful with or without her ear tips and she has such a wonderful character too. We’ve seen a transformation in her personality since she first came to the cattery. She was a little grumpy at first but once her ailments had been tended to and she was out of pain, she started to relax and enjoy cattery life. Now she really enjoys a fuss and a gentle groom and will play with the odd toy at times.

“We’d urge people to look beyond what an animal looks like and see the wonderful character and great companion that she is. Ysabeau is looking for a home where she can really put her paws up and relax. We know this older girl has been living rough for quite a while and so she really does deserve a perfect retirement home with owners who can take care of her in twilight years.”

White or predominantly white cats have a higher risk of developing skin cancer than darker-coated cats and senior cats are more likely to develop cancers as they age.

Alice Potter, RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: “If your cat has white or light-coloured fur make sure to use pet safe sun cream, particularly on the tips of their ears which can get sunburn exactly the same as humans do.

“Signs of skin cancer can be redness or soreness, particularly on the tips of the ears, or crusting around the ears. It’s always best to talk to your vet about keeping your white can protected from the sun and ask for advice if you have any concerns.”

The surgery to remove the ear tips does not affect the cat’s hearing so she would still like to access to a garden so she can carry out her favourite activity – snoozing the day away in the sunshine.

She will need a home with an adult-only home household, and she could live with a friendly dog but preferably no other cats.

If you think you can offer Ysabeau a retirement pad, you can contact RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre on 01142 89850.