Cat with severe injuries makes miraculous recovery

Meet Thistle, professional mousie fetcher. Toss a toy down the hallway, and she’ll bring it back to you in five seconds flat. And her athleticism isn’t limited to toy retrieval. This agile house panther can scale her cat tree in record time.

These feats are even more impressive considering it was once unclear whether Thistle would ever be able to run or jump. But this brave and resilient cat would go on to surprise everyone.

From the moment Thistle arrived at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Salt Lake City from a nearby shelter, staff could feel her strong spirit. For starters, she was incredibly talkative. She also craved affection, especially head scratchies. The way she would nuzzle into your hand and peer up at you with her big-as-saucer eyes was irresistible.

However, Thistle was facing a huge challenge. She couldn’t use her back legs and would scoot around with them dragging behind her. X-rays revealed multiple pelvic fractures, and she had nerve damage.

There was a time when a cat like Thistle, who needed extensive medical care, might not have made it out of a shelter. But no-kill is doing what’s right for each individual animal. That means giving pets the extra care or time they need to go to a new home.

Despite the severity of Thistle’s injuries, the Best Friends veterinary team believed in her. They wanted to give her time, so she was placed in a foster home.

Faces of No-Kill: Cat heals from injury in style

Initially, she was on strict orders to rest. But with dedicated care and lots of TLC, she gradually began to heal and gain mobility. Soon, she was doing well enough to meet a foster friend, a jet-black kitty just like her. Thistle adored her new companion and couldn’t get enough playtime.

After two months in her foster home, Thistle was able to walk. It’s a recovery that was nothing short of miraculous.

With her injuries healed, it was time for Thistle’s next chapter: going to a home of her own. Her spunky personality won over a family in no time.

Faces of No-Kill: Injured cat finds comfort in new home

Since being adopted, Thistle’s days are filled with adventures around the house, cuddles on the couch, and, of course, lots of games of fetch. The moral of the story? If you give a pet a chance, they can exceed all expectations. (Also, toy mice beware.)

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.