Appeal after hit-and-run could see Darlington cat put to sleep

Vets told married couple Sophie, 32, and Rebecca Reid, 29, that it was in cat Peanut's best interest to be put down after he was hit by a car on Salters Lane, Darlington, on Friday, September 4.

Scans revealed a shattered pelvis and a vertebrae out of place in his tail, resulting in an exposed bladder.

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A different vet days Peanut's pelvis will heal with cage rest for 8 to 12 weeks, but the cat will need its tail amputated – costing around £700 without insurance.

Rebecca, who was walking her dog when she saw Peanut, said: "He normally follows us when we're out but he wasn't around. It was about 9pm.

"We turned back for some reason and saw a car drive into him. He flew up in the air but managed to crawl under a car to hide. He was screaming and helping. Sophie spent half an hour coaxing him out.

"To the person that drove off, he's just a cat. But he's like a child to me. I feel grief and loss. It physically disgusts me that someone can hit a cat and not have the human decency to stop."

The couple took uninsured Peanut to a 24-hours vet in Middlesbrough and are now concerned about funding his vet bills after already spending hundreds.

"With 12 weeks of bed rest he should get better, but his tail needs amputated. The exposed bladder is the biggest worry right now," the mum-of-two added.

"We don't know if he has control over it or if he's just weeing without knowing. We've even had to press down on it to force him to urinate."

Once he has more energy, a cat tray will be put by Peanut to see if he goes to the toilet there, otherwise he may need to be put down due to concerns over quality of life.

But seven-year-old Tulisa, who cried herself to sleep when she found out what happened to Peanut, has begged her mum not to let Peanut die.

As well as further operations, Peanut will need medication, antibiotics and overnight stays at the vets.

The public have rallied behind the family, donating over £700 so far to a Go Fund Me page set up to assist with vets bills.

Rebecca said: "People have been helpful donating – it's really nice. All I'm trying to do here is save his life, that's my focus, and to give him a good quality of life because he's only young. This is the start of his life."

Visit uk.gofundme.com/f/save-our-little-peanut to find out more.