Charlie

PDSA Vets save Charlie the cat following a suspected road traffic accident

A Portsmouth family’s beloved pet cat, one-year-old Charlie, was saved by PDSA after he was seriously injured in a suspected road traffic accident.

Conway Loveridge, Charlie’s owner, discovered his family pet on his doorstep “in a bad way”.

He explained: “Charlie went out one evening and we didn’t see him until early the next morning. I found him on the doorstep. His jaw was practically hanging off and he was covered in blood. He was completely covered in it. I had to take my eight-year-old daughter, Emily, out the way as she was beside herself crying.”

A frantic Conway rushed Charlie to a local vets, who provided emergency treatment and pain relief, then transferred him to our Pet Hospital in Portsmouth – where our team acted quickly to save his life.

PDSA Vet Surgeon Louisa Ray said: “When Charlie came to us he had a fracture of his lower jaw and facial injuries. He was transferred to us from a private vets after they realised Mr Conway was eligible for PDSA help. We continued with Charlie’s pain relief and started him on fluids to rehydrate and support him. The following day, once he was stable, we repaired Charlie’s broken jaw under general anaesthetic, using a wire to hold the broken pieces together so they could heal. He recovered well, so went home the same day with pain relief, antibiotics, and with instructions to have very soft food whilst his jaw was healing. He has since had his jaw wire removed and has healed really well.”

Had it not been for PDSA, Conway, who is an air conditioning and refrigerator engineer, dreads to think what would have happened to Charlie.

He said: “I was absolutely devastated. We all were. We hadn’t had him long when this happened. It’s not until these moments that you realise he’s not just a cat, he’s a member of the family. I’m not a vet but I knew that if we didn’t get him treatment in time, he would have died - no question. I really believe the speed at which he was treated by PDSA saved him.”

Conway describes his much loved family pet as a fine-looking feline with canine characteristics.  

He said: “Charlie’s a good looking dude. He’s too good looking for his own good. He recently modelled for a friend’s charity calendar - he was cat October.”

He continued: “I call him Charlie dog because he acts more like a dog than a cat. He jumps up and down and likes to play football. He’s a complete character. He’s bonkers, loving and caring. I’ve had lots of cats over years, I loved them all, but I’ve never known a cat like Charlie. His favourite thing to do is play with Emily. He sits there waiting for her to come home from school.”

Indeed, according to Conway, Charlie has a very special bond with Emily.

He said: “Charlie was a very much loved pet for my daughter Emily. She’s an only child and he’s helped her a great deal. Charlie’s more than a cat for her, he’s a friend and companion. They’re an inseparable pair.”  

To date, Charlie’s treatment at PDSA has come to almost £850.

Thanks to the vital donations we receive from supporters, however, this has been at no cost to Conway – much to his relief.

He said: “It couldn’t have caught me at a worse time. I’m in between work contracts at the moment. If PDSA hadn’t been there, Charlie wouldn’t be here. We’ve donated what we can though. We even took a few cakes to the Pet Hospital, and a card that Emily made, to say thank you to the brilliant team.” 

What’s more, like many people right now, Conway is feeling the pinch due to the cost of living crisis.

He said: “Everything’s going up and my income hasn’t increased. I’ve had to make sacrifices.”

Nonetheless, Conway feels some comfort knowing that he can get support with Charlie’s veterinary care at PDSA.

He said: “Do I have any worries for when it comes to looking after Charlie? No. Shall I tell you why? We’ve got PDSA. They’re a solid foundation. We’re very lucky.”

All in all, Conway is extremely grateful to PDSA for saving Charlie’s life and encourages people to donate if they can.

He said: “PDSA are superb. I couldn’t ask any more of them. I can’t even put into words what I think of the treatment Charlie received at PDSA. Amazing, excellent, brilliant - these words aren’t strong enough to describe how quick, supportive and attentive they were. They really were on the case and completely professional. And so caring. It’s unbelievable. It’s purely about care and expertise at PDSA.”

He continued: “PDSA’s support means the world to me. And to other people who have a pet and are struggling financially. When you’re in trouble, PDSA are there. It’s phenomenal. If you can donate, absolutely do it. You couldn’t do anything more worthwhile with your money!”

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity. Through our 48 Pet Hospitals and Pet Care scheme, we save the lives of poorly pets who would otherwise be left untreated.

Every year, we helped over 388,000 pets. Without us, emergency cases like Charlie's would be left untreated and many pets could lose their lives or be separated from families who love them.

We wouldn’t be here for cats like Charlie's without your support. Please consider donating today.

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