Willow's Story

Willow came to us unable to stand. A patrol volunteer found her near the canal footbridge on a Monday morning — a young tortoiseshell with a severely fractured hind leg, likely the result of a collision with a vehicle. Despite her injury, she did not hiss or scratch when picked up. She pressed her head into the volunteer's palm as if to say: I know you're trying to help.

The road to surgery

Dr. Priya Nair at our partner veterinary clinic assessed Willow's X-rays and delivered sobering news: the fracture required orthopaedic surgery, a three-week course of post-operative care, and a minimum of eight weeks of limited movement. The cost was significant. Within 48 hours of posting her story, our community had funded her entire treatment. Willow went into surgery the following Thursday.

The surgery went well. The weeks that followed required careful management — Willow's enclosure was kept calm, her movements restricted, her pain carefully managed. She was patient in a way that astonished everyone who cared for her. She would accept her medications without a struggle, sit still for bandage changes, and reward every act of care with a slow blink.

Watch how our team supports recovering cats

Medical recovery for street cats is a long and careful process. This video gives you a sense of the environment and care we create for cats like Willow.

Where Willow is now

At her eight-week check-up, Dr. Nair confirmed that Willow's leg had healed with full function restored. She is now in an enriched recovery space, re-learning confident movement, and being assessed for adoption readiness. Her temperament — gentle, social, endlessly patient — makes her an ideal candidate for a calm adult household.

Willow's story is still being written. She is currently on medical hold while she completes her final recovery assessments. You can follow her progress on our community page and YouTube channel. And if you donated to her surgery fund — thank you. You gave her this second chance.