Stray ginger cat M9 was found by a concerned community member and brought to Lort Smith with blood on his paw.
Our vets examined all his paws and found M9 had pododermatitis, also known as pillow foot. Put simply, it's a foot pad disease in cats that causes painful inflammation. M9's paws were cleaned and he was given pain relief.
You may be thinking M9 is a strange name for a cat, but rest assured, it's his actual name. And we know this because… he was microchipped! Hooray for responsible pet ownership!
It's so important if you want to be reunited with your pet.
Nicole
Missing for four years
When we contacted M9's family, they were in utter disbelief. It turns out M9 had been missing for almost four years!
M9 was two years old when he went missing. Until then, he was an indoor-only cat who his family describe as "one of the boys".
"He was such a chilled out, affectionate cat that wasn't bothered by anything," says Nicole, a member of M9's family.
M9's family have no idea how he got outside, but one day he just disappeared. They walked around their neighbourhood for days, spoke to all their neighbours and visited vets and shelters, with no luck. M9 was their first family cat and they were devastated, as was Biggles, the resident Labradoodle and M9's best mate. The family assumed he may have been hit by a car and died. Wherever he was, they just hoped he wasn't suffering.
M9's whereabouts always niggled at the back of their minds, and they would always look twice at ginger cats in the hope of spotting him. Then, four years later, M9's family got a message they thought would never come: M9 had turned up!
"Oh my Lord," said mum Petsa when she heard the news. Her family ran around the house and called their friends to share the miracle news.
Home again
During his short stay at Lort Smith, M9 was treated for pillow foot, and was also desexed, vaccinated and tested for FIV. His family knew straight away it was M9 by the shape of his face and the freckles around his nose.
"Besides his feet, he looked healthy, chunky even," says Nicole.
M9 was a little scared at first, but quickly settled back into life at home and is enjoying a comfy bed to sleep on each night.
M9's FIV test came back positive, which he didn't have before he went missing. But his family aren't fazed in the slightest.
"He can still live a long and healthy life. And it doesn't stop you from loving them," says Nicole.
M9 is slowly being introduced to Oscar, the new cat in the house, and will soon be reunited with his doggy pal Biggles.
M9's family were Lort Smith clients before his four-year adventure, and will continue to be. They appreciate our payment plan options and discounted vet care for health care card holders.
M9's story shows how important it is to microchip your furry family members.
"It's so important if you want to be reunited with your pet," says Nicole.
"Lort Smith did a wonderful job taking care of M9. We cannot thank them enough," says Petsa.