Rare ragdoll cat leaving charity £1,000 in the red and counting..

Yorkshire Cat Rescue has been left with a four-figure vet bill after the charity stepped in to care for a beautiful Ragdoll cat that had previously been used for breeding and then suffered a dangerous infection of the womb. The five-year old breeding queen was relinquished to Yorkshire Cat Rescue volunteer, Stacie Murphy by her previous owner in winter 2014. “Elsa’s owner who was a breeder of Ragdoll cats was giving them up. She asked if I could take a couple, as she knew I was an animal rescue volunteer. Giving away pedigree cats free of charge comes with certain risks – people might simply take them and try to sell them on elsewhere, or perhaps continue breeding from them. Through the rescue, I knew they would find a good home once they had been assessed so I said yes straight away,” explains Stacie. Elsa who is five-years old arrived with fellow Ragdoll pedigree, Bailey, a 4 years old stud male who quickly found a new home, but she has not been so lucky. “To start with, Elsa needed extensive dental work and while she was under anaesthetic to be neutered, the vet discovered a life-threatening womb infection,” explains Sara Atkinson, founder of Yorkshire Cat Rescue. “As a result, her entire womb had to be removed and although the scar has healed, Elsa still suffers from side-effects.” Pyometra is an infection of the womb in un-neutered female cats – one of the many reasons why vets often recommend that cats be neutered before they reach a certain age where the risks of developing this infection become significantly greater. Once discovered, it is a race against time to carry out surgery or the cat will die. “She has had a lot of problems since the surgery and it looks like she’s going to need prescription food for the rest of her life,” says Stacie. “Yorkshire Cat Rescue have been absolutely amazing; they didn’t hesitate to pay for the necessary treatments and the special food Elsa now needs. Unfortunately, the bill has reached £1000 which no adoption fee will come anywhere near covering. The sad thing is that all of this might have been prevented had Elsa been neutered sooner,” says Stacie. Ragdolls are famous for their stunning blue eyes and soft, silky coat – known for their docile temperament and affectionate nature. Kittens typically sell for upwards of £400. Sara Atkinson, the founder at Yorkshire Cat Rescue, says: “Unfortunately we often see cats that have been used for breeding loose the interest of their owner later on. Although Elsa’s owner did the responsible thing and contacted someone she knew could help, it would have been better for Elsa to have been neutered years ago. Her medical issues indicate that she probably hasn’t seen a vet as frequently as she ought to have which is a shame since she is otherwise such a beautiful and friendly girl. She deserved better after probably producing beautiful litters of kittens for her owner.” Four months on, Elsa is still looking for a home with someone who can look past her medical issues and will not mind maintaining her strict diet. “Elsa is a wonderful cat and she has such a sweet nature but so far, two families have come to visit and left without her. She always curls up near me and desperately wants to be with people once she knows them. She does need a lot of attention so a home where she would be the only indoor cat would be ideal.” Elsa has to be fed Gastro Intestinal Moderate Calorie wet food for the rest of her life. “I really do hope that my girl will catch the eye of someone soon – she really deserves it after what she has been through,” adds Stacie. All Elsa's medical bills for her condition will be covered by Yorkshire Cat Rescue. Anyone interested in adopting Elsa should contact Yorkshire Cat Rescue on 01535 647184.