Cat rips off its own ears to end agony of skin cancer after being abandoned by owner because of its illness

By ALEX HORLOCK

Ravaged: Victoria the cat was discovered in Gloucester with her ears hanging from her head, left. Worried vets were forced to perform surgery on the abandoned cat to remove the remainder of her ears, right

A cat abandoned by its cruel owner because it had cancer was so ravaged by the illness it ripped off its own ears.
Victoria the cat was found wandering the streets half-starved with both ears barely attached to her head.
Animal welfare officers say the distressed feline was in 'constant agony' with skin cancer. They believe the cruel owner had let the animal go untreated for months and then abandoned her to avoid expensive vets bills.
Her ears had begun to rot away and she was in so much pain from the disease she had begun ripping off what remained of them.

Convalescing: The earless feline is healing while staying with Wendy Hyde, one of the charity workers who helped rescue her

Victoria was found on a street in Gloucester and taken to the local New Start Cat Rescue Centre for an operation on her ears.
Carers say it will cost them thousands of pounds to rehabilitate her.
Sue Cowlishaw, a spokeswoman for the rescue centre, said: 'She was in a very bad state so we rushed her to a vets as an emergency.

Hopeful: Louise Barrow, who works at the rescue centre, poses with Victoria after a successful operation on the ailing cat's ears

'It became apparent that the cat’s ears had been ravished by skin cancer.
'Due to non-treatment of this condition for months, this cat’s ear had rotted away.
'The cat had been in so much discomfort it had resorted to ripping its own ear off to try and relieve itself of its constant agony, leaving it in such a state of self-disfigurement.'

Caring: Victoria has been left 'depressed' after the operation, but the rescue centre hope she can recover

Victoria had her operation last Sunday, 20 minutes after the charity received a frantic call from a member of the public.
Louise Barrow, speaking on behalf of the rescue centre, said: 'At first we thought she had been attacked by a dog but then we discovered she had cancer in the ears.



source: dailymail