Caellum’s Fund: A Lasting Legacy
Caellum was a very special cat who came to us in May 2010 after being involved in a serious road traffic accident. If it hadn’t been for his incredible will to live, we don’t believe he would have survived.
The accident left him with one eye, three legs, and a jaw repaired with wire. Despite everything he had been through, he was the most loving and friendly cat, always ready with a purr for everyone he met.
Caellum spent 10 wonderful years with us at The Centre, but on 19 September it was time for him to cross the Rainbow Bridge. He is deeply missed by all our staff and volunteers and will never be forgotten.
He was, and always will be, everything that The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre stands for: giving every animal a chance at life.
Caellum’s Fund is a dedicated fund, made possible through generous donations, that helps provide additional veterinary care for animals who arrive at The Centre with complex medical needs. Your support enables us to continue giving these animals the treatment, care, and second chance they deserve.
What does Caellum’s Fund pay for?
Donations to Caellum’s Fund help cover the cost of treatments such as:·
- Complex operations referred to veterinary specialists
- Advanced tests and scans
- Emergency overnight and intensive veterinary care
- Other unexpected procedures that give an animal the best possible chance of recovery
These are often treatments that we cannot provide in-house but are essential to saving or transforming an animal’s life.
Why your support matters
Our rescue never discriminates based on an animal’s age, breed, health condition or previous experiences. We believe every animal deserves the opportunity to recover and find a loving home.
Specialist veterinary treatment can cost thousands of pounds. By supporting Caellum’s Fund, you’re helping ensure that when the next emergency arrives through our doors, we’re ready.
Your gift could help provide the specialist care that gives an animal a second chance.
Please donate today and help us be there for the animals who need us most.
Donate to Caellum’s Fund
Caellum’s Story told by our founder Monique
Wednesday 13th May 2010, 9.00pm and the phone is ringing, we had just finished feeding, “found a cat on the B2145 at Sidlesham, badly injured but still alive”. Nigel grabbed a carrier, blanket and off he went to see this most horrendously injured cat. Our vet was contacted immediately, the diagnosis was not good, he had a broken leg, smashed jaw and his eye was in a very bad way. Medication given as well as a temporary wire up of his jaw and everything was crossed for him to pull through. The next morning and we tentatively looked into the pen, Caellum as we had named him was still with us but struggling. Later that day the vet and vet nurses arrived to prepare for whatever the x-rays showed. Caellum had to have his badly injured eye removed, stitches in his paw, a better wire up of his jaw and his broken leg was bandaged. This took a long time but still the outcome was grim. He was struggling to breathe and we weren’t sure if his bladder was working okay. It is then you start to question if this is the right thing to do, he was in such pain, should we carry on? But every time Caellum was stroked or spoken to he padded his paws and tried a gargled purr, so we decided we were going to do everything to sort him out.
Caellum was very dehydrated and was being given fluid under the skin and of course his jaw made it difficult for him to eat. It was also very mucky and because of his injuries he was difficult to clean up but we did our best. He was hand fed special liquid food with all the essential vitamins included and slowly he started to lick it for himself. We added some squashed down cat food and he began to eat, he still needed encouragement but he was trying and at all time was totally grateful to us. The antibiotics started to work and things were looking better, he wanted to stand up but he collapsed in a heap. Further x-rays were taken and as the vet had feared his leg was very badly broken, it was decided it was best to remove the leg. We have lots of three legged cats and they never have a problem getting around. So a third operation was needed, it took him some time to come round but as ever he was so grateful, he even started to wash himself, it was a lovely sight.
Road traffic accidents are sadly very common, especially on these busy roads but the person must have known he had knocked over the cat, but he choose to do nothing the same as the others who quite happily drove round this poor creature. The person who did stop made an effort, contacted us and we will always try to help in a case like this. I know people don’t like to get involved but it is a live creature who is in terrible pain, I would no longer ignore it than I would a person in danger. We will try to help in a situation like this and the RSPCA do have an emergency number.
If we did not have our own veterinary facility the cost for Caellum’s treatment would have been in excess of £4000.
