Help Boots to get the support he needs.

Our very handsome Tom cat Boots went missing on the 28th March. Little did we know the horrors that were going to happen.

We got him when he was only a tiny kitten the day I moved down from Shetland to come and live in Forres. He is now 6 years old. Known for his spectacular long tail, rather large ears and famous appetite. He's been there for myself and Our wee family from day one.

I had sepsis and spent some time in hospital I missed him that much my partner took him through in the car to see me. He even went on a holiday to kendal with us. Cat litter in the boot treats in the front he definitely enjoyed the ride down.

He's always had an adventurous spirit. However when he went missing it was so unlike him. He would wander off for a time but he knows where the love is for sure not to mention the fact he is always after his next chance to get some food so it was never a worry letting him out.

We searched day and night Lily our 3 year old in the back of the car shaking some biscuits in Hope he'd turn up. Calling his name. We even resorted to emptying Henrys hoover bag up and down the street and all over the housing estate In hope it'd entise him home again. Still no sign. We still had hope that he would come home but after the two weeks was nearly up it was seeming so unlikely. I would still call him and imagine him walking through the cat flap.

Easter Sunday came, I was Restless and couldn't sleep. I felt like I had been awake for hours. I heard a noise at 3.45am in the morning. Peeka ( Boots' little sister) was on the bottom of the bed and Calla (our sprocker) was in hers. Then a wee meow. I shot up and called for boots I heard it again. I lept up out of bed ran downstairs and couldn't believe my eyes. BOOTS had come home. It was a miracle!!Unfortunately in a mess.

He had lost so much weight, smelt of oil or something like that. He couldnt eat properly, move his tail and having problems seeing. He drank his body weight in water and I took him upstairs to our bed where his favourite place to rest is on my pillow. (I have 3 so don't mind lending him one even if it means my feet poke out the end) I phoned up my mum as she often is awake at night. We both cried tears of joy. We thought we'd try to get some tuna down him. The only thing I had to liquidate it was the coffee grinder but hey desperate times. So I prepared the tuna so he was able to lick it up. Safe to say he was starving, lapped it up. I sat with him till i could hear the birds waking up with the morning song and called the emergency vet at 5.30am he told me to come to the surgery at 8am. So ofcouse gave him all the love he needed until the time came to drop him off. Which broke my heart as I'd only gotten him home. However I knew he was being looked after. The next day Easter Monday he was getting some xrays and diagnosis of his injuries. The vet phoned me and explained the extent of what had happened to him. He was going to be blind in one eye after a broken socket, his tail at the base had been so badly broken they would need to amputate it. (known a tail pull) his left leg above his elbow was broken and his jaw had been completely split in two he had a open fracture they needed to fix.

The problem was he hadn't managed to go for a wee yet this was important. The plan was to operate that morning on his jaw. I was just shocked he had managed to bring him self home what a resilient cat. I had a cry hoped he would pull through the surgery for his jaw.

I dropped our daughter off at nursery and just couldn't wait to get my arms around him. After his operation he needed to come around after his anesthetic. I spent over an hour with him. I cried as I couldn't believe he was alive he gave me so much love and the purrs were as loud as ive ever heard. The vet came in and showed me the xrays. Unfortunately the news that was going to be delivered sent shivers down my spine. She thought it was unlikely to have been a car to have done that to him as they were inconsistent to a car accident and the time frames of the injures. Which implied that it was done by someone. They found no bite wounds so definitely wasnt a dog. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Bless his heart. Tough as old Boots.

He still needs to get his tail amputated and has a long way go. If you are able to help Boots. It would mean everything to us.