Vet charity PDSA has urged owners to learn pet first aid.
A kitten has survived life-threatening injuries after it was taken on a 40-mile journey after hiding under the bonnet of a neighbour’s car.
One-year-old tabby cat Chi, from Brighton, East Sussex, was given emergency care by vets at the PDSA after it was found trapped in the engine compartment.
The cat’s owner Kaylie Banks, 30, said the grill at the front of the car had to be removed to get her “stressed pet out”.
She said: “I returned home from work and Chi was nowhere to be seen. After turning the house upside down, I began knocking on my neighbours’ doors. No-one had seen her and I was beginning to get worried.
“One of my neighbours then approached me to say he had found Chi trapped under the bonnet of his car.
“He was driving home when he heard noises coming from the engine. Luckily, he stopped the car and after close inspection he saw little Chi lodged inside.
“She was very stressed and he had to take the grill off the front of the car to get her out.”
Chi was treated at the Brighton pet hospital run by the vet charity and was given pain relief while its wounds were assessed and then underwent an operation on burns to its body.
PDSA student vet nurse Sadie Reece said: “Chi’s wounds needed to be cleaned and repaired under anaesthetic. There was a large amount of dead tissue that needed to be removed.
“The operation was a success and we were able to clean and stitch the healthy tissue back together.”
A PDSA spokeswoman said: “After recovering from the procedure, Chi was able to go home, complete with a ‘buster’ collar to protect her injuries.
“Chi was also given antibiotics to treat infection and anti-inflammatory medication to help ensure she was pain-free while recovering.
“Chi’s wounds are now healing well and she is expected to make a full recovery, thanks to the expert care she received.”
Ms Banks added: “The staff at Brighton PDSA were amazing and treated Chi exceptionally well. It’s thanks to the team that she is recovering well and I am grateful to all who helped during what was a very stressful time for me and my family.”
The PDSA spokeswoman said the charity runs pet first aid courses and further information is available at its website www.pdsa.org.uk/firstaid
She added: “If your pet’s been injured, first aid can make a huge difference. Getting them to a vet practice as soon as possible should be the priority, but knowing the correct first aid can help keep them comfortable and reduce any further damage in the meantime. It can even mean the difference between life and death for your pet.”
Jill Biden has written a children's picture book about her White House cat, Willow, that will be published in June.
Simon & Schuster announced Wednesday that “Willow the White House Cat” tells the story of how the short-haired tabby ended up at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Aides previously had said the cat impressed Jill Biden after it jumped on stage as she spoke at a Pennsylvania farm during the 2020 presidential campaign. Biden later adopted the cat and named it after her hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
“As Willow bounds from room to room, exploring history in her new home, she learns quickly about all of the incredible people who make the ‘People’s House’ run,” the first lady said in the publisher's announcement. “They welcomed Willow with love and care, just as they did Joe and me, the First Families who came before us, and all of the people who step foot into this home.
“Making many new friends along the way, Willow’s journey gives the world a ‘cats-eye’ view of all the ins and outs of America’s most famous address,” she said.
FILE - Willow, the Biden family's new pet cat, wanders around the White House on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2022 in Washington. Jill Biden has written a children's picture book about her White House cat, Willow, that will be published in June. Simon & Schuster announced Wednesday, March 27, 2024, that “Willow the White House Cat” tells the story of how the short-haired tabby ended up at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (Erin Scott/The White House via AP, File)
Willow, now 4 years old, is the only Biden pet still living at the White House. They have had three German shepherd dogs. Champ died in 2021, and Major and later Commander were sent away after exhibiting aggressive behavior, including biting Secret Service personnel and members of the White House staff.
Presidential pets are an enduring source of public fascination and often the subject of books. George H.W. Bush's dog, Millie, “opined” on her White House life in “Millie's Book,” and first lady Hillary Clinton wrote a book about the letters that were sent to her family pets, cat Socks and dog Buddy. Books have also been written about President Barack Obama's white-chested Portuguese water dog, Bo.
“Willow the White House Cat” will be published by Paula Wiseman Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. It was co-written with award-winning author Alyssa Satin Capucilli and illustrated by acclaimed artist Kate Berube. Jill Biden will donate proceeds from sales of the book to charities that support military dogs.
The first lady's previous children's titles are “Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops” and “Joey: The Story of Joe Biden.” She published her memoir, “Where the Light Enters,” in 2019.
First lady Jill Biden arrives for a Women's History Month reception in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 18, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
