An Auckland kitten has overcome a "bumpy" road to recovery after being found with his head stuck in a patio umbrella pole.
At just eight-weeks-old, the SPCA rescue cat overcame multiple illnesses and injuries that had vets concerned.
Now named Albert, his rough start to life began when he was found by a member of the public and reported to the Māngere Centre SPCA team, who said he was "visibly distressed and not moving".
The team added it seemed Albert had been stuck in the pole for "a bit of the night" as he was "very cold to the touch" and "flea ridden".
While Albert recovered from this mishap and became warmer, vets could see he was afraid.
One team member said he had been "hiding in the back of the cage" and was "hissing when we got too near". However, within days, Albert became used to being handled, and began to come out of his shell.
Then Albert developed gastro, resulting in him not eating for two days, bringing more worry for the SPCA team until he again proved how resilient he was and recovered after a full eight days.
Unfortunately, his bad luck was yet to turn and, just a short time afterwards, he fell ill to cat flu.
Under close supervision, Albert was medicated and started to improve after spending another two days without eating.
“He became so playful once he was feeling better, which was amazing to see,” the SPCA team said.
Albert was then finally listed for adoption at the SPCA, and the team said it was "thrilled" to see he had been adopted after just one day.
"With help from our SPCA team, he pushed through fear, sickness, and a tough start to life.
"He is now safe, healthy and loved. Albert's journey showed just how strong he is."
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