Help Hunter walk without pain

We adopted Hunter and his sister, Sybil, from the Auckland SPCA when they were eight-weeks old and they quickly became an integral part of our little family and we can’t imagine life without them. Last month we noticed Hunter limping when we walked and struggling to keep up with his sister – he couldn’t jump as high, was wobbly with his balance and ran like a rabbit with both hind legs hopping at once.

So we took him to the vet where they diagnosed him with patellar luxation in both his knees which would require expensive surgery to correct. X-rays were taken to help work out what type of surgery was needed and the vets discovered he also has hip dysplasia, explaining the hopping way he runs.

After a visit to an orthopaedic specialist we were told Hunter has Stage 3 patellar luxation in both knees, meaning his kneecaps are dislocated 100% of the time, making it hard for him to do the things other kittens can. This condition has already caused his legs to bow and without surgery his legs will continue to deform, he’ll develop crippling arthritis and be in pain each time he moves.

Luckily, he’s the ideal age to have surgery to correct his sore knees and the surgery will enable his legs to grow straight and strong like any other kitten. We’ve been quoted $4,000 for the knee surgery, which will enable him to run, jump and play with his sister without pain, plus the costs of follow-up care while he recovers. While we have pet insurance the policy only covers a maximum of $700, leaving us with a $3,300 bill to pay.

Fortunately, the hip dysplasia is not currently causing him any pain so he doesn’t need surgery for that just yet, though this will be reassessed when he’s older.

Hunter is the most affectionate and loving kitten with a huge personality, and loves nothing more than spending time with us and his sister – they’re absolutely inseparable! Like any kitten he’s full of energy, but his knees are beginning to cause him to struggle with simple things like jumping onto the bed, chasing after his favourite toys and climbing into the litter box.

We’re totally committed to getting Hunter the care he needs and have him booked in for his first surgery early this month. However, any help with covering the costs of this surgery would be greatly appreciated by both Hunter, Sybil and ourselves.