Curious kitten makes miraculous recovery after 50ft fall from fourth storey flat

A curious kitten has made a miraculous recovery after surviving a 50 foot fall from a fourth storey flat.

Oreo the one-year-old proved that cats really do have nine lives - or at least a lot of luck - when she escaped her owner’s window and fell 50 feet to the ground - but survived.

Poor little cat Oreo broke both of her front legs and fractured two bones in her front right paw in the incident, and laid on the ground overnight after her fall. She also sustained severe bruising to her chest, mouth, and jaw.

Amazingly, the sweet pet is now expected to make a full recovery thanks to treatment by vets charity the PDSA’s Bristol Pet Hospital.

“Alarm bells started to ring when she didn’t come see me for some fuss”

Oreo’s owner Melanie Woodward, aged 38, said she did not know if her pet would survive the ordeal.

Melanie, from Redcliffe Hill, Bristol, said: "Oreo is very friendly and always comes into the bedroom for a bit of fuss in the morning. ‘When she didn’t come in, alarm bells started to ring. My daughter and I looked for her all over the flat - under beds, in cupboards, behind furniture – everywhere we could think of, but we just couldn’t find her.

“By that point I was hysterical. In desperation, I went onto the balcony, and when I looked down I saw her lying in our downstairs neighbour’s yard. It was beyond horrendous, we were all beside ourselves. I ran downstairs in my pyjamas and socks and banged on my neighbour’s door so I could get into the yard to help Oreo.”

“I can’t thank PDSA enough for saving her”

Melanie immediately rushed Oreo to the vets, but she was unable to afford the treatment as she suffers from ill-health and her husband is her carer. Thankfully vets directed her to the charity PDSA to get help, and the group were able to give Oreo the over £2,500 treatment she needed at minimal cost to Melanie.

She said: “I can’t thank PDSA enough for saving Oreo. Everyone in the team was so kind and did everything they could to help her survive so she can have a healthy and happy life. There is no way we could have afforded to pay for Oreo’s treatment as, like most families nowadays, we just don’t have thousands of pounds spare, so to be able to access PDSA’s services when we were absolutely desperate was incredible.

"I will never forget the kindness and compassion that the whole team showed not only to Oreo but also to myself and my family. We will all be forever grateful.”

Donations needed to help other poorly pets

The charity PSDA is now appealing for donations so that they can continue to help pets in need when their owners are unable to pay for their treatment.

PDSA Bristol vet Penny Morgan said: “Little Oreo’s injuries were very serious. Her legs were badly hurt and she had sustained severe bruising. After two weeks we made the decision to operate because her fractures weren’t healing as quickly as we’d have liked. We performed a complex surgical procedure to repair her legs, fitting metal plates to each of them. The surgery was a success and Oreo’s injuries are now healing well. With the care and love of her family, I’m confident she will make a full recovery.”

To find out more about PDSA’s work during the cost-of-living crisis, or to donate, visit the PDSA website.