Limping Merlins Journey
Limping Merlin with a broken growth plate in his femur needs your help!
Tawa, Wellington
Merlin is a stray kitten rescued on Christmas Eve from Ranfurly St, Upper Hutt. Unfortunately Merlin came into care with a limp back leg. X-rays show an extremely rare break - a fracture of the growth plate in his femur (not the femur itself).
Our vets are going to seek an orthopaedic opinion, but for now they have done their best to immobilize the leg with a splint which certainly isn't slowing him down one bit!
We do think amputation may be for the best, but would like to go ahead with an orthopedic opinion first. He's such a sweet spirited kitten and isn't too bothered by the cast. Unfortunately we simply don't have the costs to cover orthopaedic surgery (likely to be well over 5K) and long term costs - but regardless, the most important thing is the long term health and well-being of the kitten, and what's best for them.
Due to this our intake will be closing as I've personally taken on too much and I need to focus on Merlins care and recovery. We also need to pay off our 4K and growing vet bill, and this will certainly add to it. Thanks all so much 🙏
About us
KittyCat Rescue was started in January 2017 with the aim of helping stray cats. Now, our passion is the care, desexing, management, socialisation and adoption of wild and abandoned cats in the Wairarapa.
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Merlins ongoing vet care.
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Latest update
Vet History and X-rays 29 December 2025
Vet notes from Saturday are detailed below. Speaking further with Vet Alix today and our plan for the next 2 weeks are to continue to keep Merlins leg immobilized in a cast, upkeep daily pain meds and twice weekly and vet visits to change the splint and check on the progress. After 2 weeks we'll reassess with another X-ray and will make a further plan from there.
Date: Vet: 27 DEC 25 11:35 TP Weight: 1.10 Owner Rachel Kittycat Rescues Code RACHE3/1 Name: AID C200 Merlin Sex: M
Desc: stray kitten - non weight bearing on back leg even with pain relief on board, Afterhours told her to just give meloxicam and to see how he goes.
S: NWB right hind, very inflamed and slightly dangling right stifle Clinically well otherwise CVS nad Temp 38 Lnn normal Had a lot of flea dirt when found but much healthier now eating well Has been having meloxicam the last day or two- seems happier 2 x radiopgraphs taken VD and ML view of right hind findings: complete femural growth plate fracture, type 1 salter harris fracture.
Plan: Chat to a surgeon or orthoped to find out best way forward repair vs amputation? Until then bandaged with a splint Meloxicam 0.1ml SID PO Rest Drugs Dispensed.
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