From Hayes Shed To Buckingham Palace Via Putney RSPCA
Poorly pregnant Persian Flo is adopted by Queen’s head chauffeur
A pregnant Persian cat who was living in a dirty shed and missing half a leg from an unknown injury is now living the life of luxury with the Queen’s head chauffeur.
Flo, a four-year-old white cat, was rescued by the RSPCA in March in a terrible state from Hayes in London.
She had been living in a small, dirty basket in a shed and was brought to the vets with an injury to her right front leg which meant half of the leg was missing.
She was taken to RSPCA Putney Animal Hospital for care where the vets had to amputate the rest of her leg. Flo was also pregnant with one kitten which sadly did not make it. Her recovery was slow following two surgeries and the vets were unsure if poor Flo would pull through - but thankfully she did!
She was fostered by Victoria Fitzgerald, one of the veterinary assistants at Putney, who helped care for her throughout her ordeal. After a few weeks of fostering Flo, Victoria and her father, who is the Queen’s driver, decided they had fallen in love with the three-legged cat and decided to adopt her.
Victoria said: “She really has gone from Aristocat to Aristocrat now she is living in the life of luxury compared to where she was before. She is getting pampered with me and my parents and she has settled in so well and gets on really well with my other pets.”
Victoria, who has worked for the RSPCA for three years also has four other pets, crossbreed dog Oscar, Albie the cat and two kittens who she is now hand rearing called Maurice and Flounder. She added: “It is the most rewarding part of the job to see an animal who was in such an awful state like Flo was, be rehabilitated and find a loving home - and it’s even better that Flo could come and live with us at Buckingham Palace.”
As the Queen’s staff, Victoria and her parents live in The Royal Mews, part of the grounds at Buckingham Palace.
The charity’s hospitals, animal centres and frontline officers have continued to work throughout the Coronavirus crisis to ensure animals get the care they need.
To help the RSPCA keep rescuing animals like these and keep our animal hospitals and centres running for emergency treatment and round the clock care through these unprecedented times, please donate whatever you can spare at www.rspca.org.uk/covid
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June 25, 2020