Pearl, an 11 year old rescue cat, recovered from a severe flea infestation at the animal charity Blue Cross and then became a cat blood donor for a stray kitten who was close to dying. The transfusion helped five week old Drew pull through, and both cats are now waiting to be rehomed.
Pearl arrived with severe flea wounds
Blue Cross, a UK animal charity that runs an animal hospital in Victoria, central London, took in Pearl, a domestic short hair black cat, after her owner died. Vets then discovered agonizing wounds across her back and tail caused by a severe flea infestation, and the charity began treating her at its hospital.
After weeks of care in a volunteer foster home alongside that hospital treatment, Pearl made a remarkable recovery and became ready to find a forever home. However, her story did not end with her own recovery, because during her stay at the hospital another cat arrived who needed urgent help to survive.
How a recovered rescue became a cat blood donor
Drew, a tiny tabby, was found abandoned under a bush on Tooting Common in South London and arrived with severe anemia caused by fleas, which left him in urgent need of a blood transfusion. Blue Cross says a cat can become a blood donor between ages one and eight, as long as it weighs at least 4 kg to 4.5 kg and is in good health, which put Pearl, at 11, outside that range.
Because Drew was dying, Pearl was in good health, and the two cats were both Type A, the team decided to take her blood, and her donation helped Drew pull through. He is now recovering in a Blue Cross foster home while he waits to be rehomed, and Pearl is looking for a new home at the charity’s rehoming center in Kimpton, Herts.
Amanda Rumball, London welfare officer at Blue Cross, said Pearl’s recovery came through a combination of foster care and hospital treatment, and she called it incredible that a cat who needed help herself then helped save another’s life. She also spoke about what the cat deserves after everything she has been through.
“She has been through so much and deserves a loving home.”
The charity describes Pearl as a mature cat who enjoys quiet days, gentle fuss, and sitting comfortably on her chair while watching the world go by. Anyone who thinks they could offer her a home can visit bluecross.org.uk for more information.