Shola

Thanks to the expert care she received at PDSA, four-year-old cat Shola is lucky to be alive after a devastating road traffic accident.

When Natalie, who lives in Wrekenton, heard a knock at the door one afternoon, she never imagined she’d open it to a neighbour cradling her injured cat.

She recalled: “Shola had been hit by a car near our home, and thankfully, some witnesses came to help. At first, they thought she hadn’t survived, but when they checked her, they realised she was still breathing. They wrapped her in a blanket and knocked on doors until someone recognised her.

“I’ll never forget how I felt when I saw her. It was one of the worst days of my life, seeing her so close to death.”

Fearing the worst, but desperate to give her a chance, Natalie rushed Shola to her nearest PDSA Pet Hospital in Gateshead, where she’s registered for low-cost veterinary care.

Natalie said: “I held her close in the car the whole way, begging her not to leave us.”

At the Pet Hospital, the vet team acted fast.

PDSA Vet Surgeon, Faith Willsher, who helped treat Shola, said: “When Shola arrived, her condition was critical. She was bleeding from her nose and eye, struggling to breathe, and unable to stand. We immediately placed her in an oxygen chamber and gave her strong pain relief.

“We were concerned she might have serious head injuries, but we needed to stabilise her before we could run any tests.”

Natalie said: “After hearing how serious Shola’s condition was, I honestly thought she wouldn’t make it through the night. I was heartbroken.”

Later, shocking CCTV footage revealed the true horror of Shola’s accident.

Natalie explained: “The car was speeding, and Shola went under both the front and back wheels. It was so awful to watch. I couldn’t believe she’d survived at all.”

Overnight, Shola remained in a critical condition and fought hard for her life. She needed a drip to support her blood pressure, and over time, her breathing began to improve, although she still couldn’t close her mouth properly.

By morning, however, Shola was stable enough for X-rays and an ultrasound.

Faith explained: “Whilst Shola was sedated, we found bruising and swelling around her jaw and tongue, bleeding in both eyes, a deep leg wound, and grazing on her paw. She also had a small split in her lower jaw. But miraculously, we found no broken bones or major internal injuries.”

In the days that followed, Shola stayed at PDSA for close monitoring, as nerve damage from such trauma can sometimes cause problems later on – for example, struggling to go to the toilet.

Natalie continued: “She was there for about a week, though we were able to visit. It was touch-and-go the whole time. One of the nurses built such a lovely bond with Shola and kept us updated. The extra reassurance meant so much when we were so worried.”

When Shola was finally well enough, she returned home with pain relief, antibiotics, and eye drops. Natalie was given clear instructions to make sure she rested indoors until she was stable enough to return for surgery to repair her leg wound. With round-the-clock care from her loving family, Shola made good progress – she was walking well and eating with encouragement.

Later, Shola had an operation under general anaesthesia to treat her injured leg. Gradually, her strength returned, her wound healed well, and before long, the PDSA vet team removed her stitches. They were really pleased to see that Shola was active and bright.

Natalie added: “Each time she went under anaesthetic, we were terrified she wouldn’t wake up. We had to say our goodbyes just in case, which was very distressing.”

Thankfully, following nearly £1,000 worth of treatment, Shola is now back home, where she’s adored by Natalie’s three-year-old son and the family’s other pets: her brother Sammy and eight-month-old puppy, Rocco.

Natalie explained: “Shola’s the princess of the family. We got her as a six-week-old kitten, along with her brother Sammy. They were meant to be two males, named after Shola and Sammy Ameobi, the Newcastle United footballers. When we found out Shola was a female cat, the name stuck anyway!

“They’re nearly five now and are inseparable. If Shola hadn’t made it, Sammy would have been completely lost, as would my little boy, who absolutely dotes on her. When she was recovering, he even put Cat TV on his tablet for her to watch!

“Shola loves attention. She and Sammy are known locally for being the friendliest cats – they’ll happily flop down for strokes and belly tickles from passersby.

“We also have our puppy, Rocco, who sadly needed PDSA care himself after being bitten by another dog. The vets were brilliant with him too.

“I couldn’t imagine life without any of our pets. All three mean the absolute world to us, but especially to our little boy. We’ll never forget what PDSA did for our family, and we're so grateful that they saved Shola’s life.”

Total cost of Shola’s treatment: £993.95

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity. Through our 49 Pet Hospitals and Pet Care scheme, we save the lives of poorly pets who would otherwise be left untreated.

Every year, we treat over 430,000 pets. Without us, emergency cases like Shola's would be left untreated and many pets could lose their lives or be separated from families who love them.

We wouldn’t be here for cats like Shola without your support. Please consider donating today.

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