Kitten Rescued from Outdoors with Severe Injury

Wrangler and his three siblings, Wesley, Sassy, and Raven, were rescued in July 2024 at six weeks of age. They were born outdoors and lived with a colony of about six adult cats and another litter of kittens (also rescued by SPCA NOVA). They were being cared for by a kind older couple who live in the same neighborhood as an SPCA NOVA volunteer, Rebecca. After seeing adult cats and kittens in this couple’s yard, Rebecca offered assistance with spaying/neutering the feral adult cats through Fairfax County’s trap/neuter/return (TNR) program and rescuing the kittens. Rebecca set up cameras and traps and went to work trapping the adults and kittens. Luckily, Wrangler and his two sisters were trapped the first evening traps were set, and Wesley was trapped the next morning.

Wrangler Rushed to ER

While Wrangler and his siblings were scared after being trapped, they were comforted by huddling together in a cozy space with an experienced caretaker who showed them they were safe. As soon as we got a close look at Wrangler’s injured ear, we rushed him to an emergency veterinary practice. His right ear had been severed off and the ear canal was swollen shut. There was drainage coming out of his swollen ear suggesting an infection. We knew his condition was serious and that getting immediate treatment was needed.

Wrangler was such a trooper from the very start. Even though he was scared, having been trapped and handled by humans for the very first time just the night before, he did very well at the vet. In fact, he impressed the vet and staff with his calm demeanor. He weighed in at only 1.5 pounds and was a bit underweight. Wrangler hadn’t eaten much, if anything, the night before which was concerning.

In the ER, the remaining outer portion of his ear was cleaned and clipped off. Wrangler was treated with pain and anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics. The vet was most concerned about the inflammation that was closing off his ear canal. The vet explained that if the inflammation continued this could cause chronic ear infections. He recommended we consult with a board certified surgeon about the potential for a total ear canal ablation (TECA). This procedure removes a diseased ear canal and part of the middle ear.

Wrangler Receives Ongoing Vet Care

We opted to consult with our regular veterinarian first. She advised us to continue the prescribed treatment and set up an exam in about 10 days, near the end of the initial treatment period, as long as he was eating and active, so we could assess progress.

During this time, Wrangler proved to be such a strong kitten. Once the pain medications kicked in within a few hours, he began eating like a champ. He was putting on weight and it only took him about a week to fully trust humans.

When he was examined by our vet 10 days after being rescued, she was pleased to see that Wrangler was eating, gaining weight, and had no signs of infection or neurological issues. His ear, however, continued to be swollen shut – closing off his ear canal. He wouldn’t be able to hear out of that ear, but that didn’t seem to affect him in any way. Wrangler was acting just like his siblings!

Wrangler was monitored by our vet every few weeks as he received his regular kitten checkups, vaccinations, etc. Our vet told us she couldn’t predict whether he would have problems in the future, but that his prognosis was excellent, and it appeared that he would not need surgery. Wrangler is a perfectly healthy kitten who is simply missing an ear!

Wrangler Is a Resilient Kitten

The trauma of his painful injury, the initial fear of being trapped, and adjusting to life indoors with humans has had no ill effects on Wrangler’s life. He is a healthy, happy, growing boy. And he’s been adopted with his brother Wesley by a wonderful couple who fell in love with this rambunctious pair of boys.

Note: Wrangler’s sisters, Sassy and Raven, are still available for adoption.