Paul's devoted owner needs help. Photo / Supplied
An Auckland woman’s lifesaving quest to give her much-loved cat his penis back has broken the bank, but she says life wouldn’t be the same without her feline companion.
Lisa McLea has been forced to seek emergency treatment for her rescue cat Paul after a rare medical condition saw him rushed into surgery at Christmas time, but she says she had no choice but to act to save the “absolute menace” that stole her heart seven years ago.
McLea told the Herald that Paul came into her life when she responded to reports that a kitten had been thrown from a car on a rural Northland road.
She went to the scene and found little Paul covered in fleas and scabs and with half his tail cut off.
“I pulled over and sat in the ditch for half an hour coaxing him over until he crawled into my lap.”
With time, and McLea’s love and care, Paul bounced back from his injuries and quickly established himself in her home.
She says the cat is an “absolute menace” and is forever pulling items from shelves and shredding paper as fast as the printer can spit it out - but she loves him to pieces.
“He’s also super loving and cuddly and sleeps on me every single night and constantly wants to spend time around everyone,” she added.
But life hasn’t been a smooth ride since he was rescued, with ongoing health issues leading to repeated vet visits that have set McLea back thousands of dollars
Paul has urinary issues and vets discovered that he did not appear to have a penis, only a hole where it should be.
“He’s been quite the fascination at the vets,” McLea said, “with everyone wanting to see his weird bits every time I take him in.”
On December 22 he had another flare-up and McLea took him to the vet. After initially trying medication, they decided he needed a catheter inserted to relieve his bladder, as a blockage there can be quickly fatal to cats.
But Paul’s apparent lack of penis meant a shift to the Animal Referral Centre in Albany, where a specialist surgeon delivered the news.
Paul does have a penis - but it is hidden under skin and he would need preputial reconstruction surgery to remove the skin and restore normal function.
That meant he would be spending Christmas away from McLea and on the 29th he went in for surgery.
All of this cost more than $10,000.
Complications after surgery have now left Paul needing another urgent surgery to widen his urethra - which could add at least another $6000 to McLea’s bill.
McLea says she is aware it is an “insane” amount of money to spend on a cat and admits she cannot afford it on her own.
A Givealittle appeal has been launched for Paul, and McLea says although she is incredibly appreciative of the donations that have already trickled in, she and Paul need a wee bit more support to help him over his plumbing problems.
“He has such a big personality and is so sweet and affectionate and I love him so much,” she told the Herald.
“My life wouldn’t be the same without this menace around and I’m really desperate for him to be healthy enough to come back home.”