Cat loses leg after suspected animal cruelty

Last week, Regina Cat Rescue (RCR) was alerted to an injured cat in the Cathedral area. The cat — who we’ve since named Duke — was reported by a concerned citizen after he was seen limping with something tied around one of his legs. Duke had eluded his would be rescuers so RCR volunteers set out to humanely trap him.

Duke once he was safely trapped

Thankfully, he was trapped quickly and volunteers were able to get him to a vet to be assessed. Duke was suffering and in pain because he had a string tied tightly and double knotted around his rear left leg. The loss of circulation caused permanent damage and amputation was the only course of action to save his life.

You can view photos of Duke’s injury here , here and here. Warning - photos are very graphic.

Given that the string was double knotted around his leg, we suspect it was tied there deliberately. We also can’t rule out that it could have been part of a snare set by humans.

We’re telling Duke’s story so that his pain and misfortune can serve as a reminder to all pet guardians to keep their cats indoors for their own safety. There are countless dangers outdoors for cats, including traffic, poison, other animals, and humans with bad intentions.

Duke’s leg was successfully amputated on Friday and he’s currently recovering in an RCR foster home where he’s on pain medication and antibiotics to help him heal. We’re letting Duke take it one day at a time hoping that he may learn to trust humans and come out of his shell. For now, he prefers to stay safe and hidden in a kennel.

You can help Duke — and other cats in need — by donating to RCR by e-transfer, PayPal, cash or cheque. Tax receipts are issued for donations of $10 or more.