Missing Leeds cat’s return becomes ‘mini-miracle’ after emergency surgery saves her leg
A West Yorkshire family's worry was turned into a 'mini-miracle' after their missing cat narrowly avoided losing his leg.
Two-year-old Midnight disappeared one summer night, leaving owners Leanne and Nicholas Fowke "absolutely heartbroken." When she finally returned four days later, she was limping and in severe pain, suffering from a three-piece fracture to her right hind leg.
Thanks to emergency care and complex surgery provided by the Leeds PDSA Pet Hospital, Midnight's leg was successfully rebuilt using a surgical plate, pin, and screws, allowing her to avoid amputation and get back on the mend at home.
The case is one of 12 "tails of Christmas" being shared by PDSA, highlighting the life-saving work done for pets like Midnight, whose care would have been financially impossible for her devoted family without the charity.
Leanne Fowke said: “We developed a special bond with Midnight after rescuing her as a kitten. Both me and my husband spent a lot of time and patience with her at first as she was really scared. It’s taken a long time, but she trusts us and is such a loving little girl.
“When she went missing, we were absolutely heartbroken. Every day and night, we were looking and calling for her, but no sign.
"On the fourth day of her being missing, we finally found her lying down under the kitchen window. She must’ve found her way home but was limping and in so much pain. I gently picked her up and brought her inside to give her food and water - she was really hungry and thirsty.”
Leanne contacted the animal hospital’s out-of-hours service and was quickly able to have Midnight tended to by the team, who could see that she had fractured her right hind leg.
Veterinary Surgeon Lauren Brown said: “It was clear that Midnight was in a lot of pain, our priority was to help her by relieving that pain she was experiencing. We gave her strong pain relief straight away.
"We admitted Midnight for a general anaesthetic and x-rays. These confirmed that she had broken her tibia, one of the two bones in the lower leg that connects the knee and the ankle. Her leg would require surgery or possibly amputation as the break was in three pieces. Either way, it would be a long and complicated procedure. Her fracture was repaired using a surgical plate, pin and screws, each carefully placed to build her leg back together.”
“We booked Midnight in for the next available surgical slot, where she was admitted and prepared for surgery. She was connected to an intravenous fluid drip which she would need to receive throughout the operation, this enabled us to give antibiotics through the drip to prevent infection."
The surgery was successful, and Midnight was allowed to go home later that same day with strict instructions to rest.
Leanne added: “Midnight will most likely have a limp for the rest of her life, but she’s back on the mend now. If PDSA didn’t exist, we would have struggled to get the money to pay for Midnight’s treatment. I share a special bond with Midnight, and she loves to give me loads of kisses. I don’t know what I would do without her.”