Cat left looking like Frankenstein after being rescued from car engine
A cat who was trapped inside a red-hot car engine and suffered severe burns to her body is now being cared for near Shrewsbury.
One-year-old Vixen was brought to RSPCA Gonsal Farm in Dorrington after her ordeal in Stoke-on-Trent last month.
Firefighters managed to free Vixen from the engine and animal collection officer Neil Astle took her to a nearby vets to be checked over.
Jake Rogers, reception supervisor at RSPCA Gonsal Farm, said he hasn't seen a cat with such bad injuries in a long time.
He added: "Vixen was very lethargic and cold, and not very aware of what was going on when she was found. We have no idea how long she had been trapped but it’s lucky that a member of the public raised the alarm when they did.
"At the vets it soon became apparent Vixen had a large mechanical burn spanning across almost her entire chest and abdomen which was clearly very painful.
"She’s now doing a lot better since she arrived here. She had to have staples where they had cut the dead skin away so when she came in she looked like Frankenstein. We think the engine must have been very hot and burnt her on both sides. It’s amazing she survived."
Vixen, who has been named after one of Father Christmas' reindeer, is now much happier and very friendly so staff at Gonsal hope she will be well enough to be rehomed soon.
Jake added: "She’s had her staples out now and the wound has knitted together nicely. She still as huge scars but hopefully when her fur grows back the scars will be covered up."
She had no microchip and despite her details being posted on Pets Located and shared locally an owner has not been found.
From Christmas Eve to Boxing Day 2017 the RSPCA received 2,479 calls to its national cruelty line seeing another busy Christmas period this year.
