Cat hit by a bus in Luton survived for two weeks on her own before RSPCA rescuers could find her

Dedicated RSPCA volunteers have coaxed a moggie back to life after she was hit by a bus in Luton.

Rescuers spent more than two weeks trying to find the injured cat which had suffered serious and extensive head injuries when she was hit by a bus on 14 March last year. Passersby tried to help her but, frightened, she ran off.

Volunteer Katie Duncan and animal care assistant Amy Hearne - who both work at RSPCA Southridge Animal Centre - led the search for the little tortoiseshell cat they named Trudie.

Katie said: “Two lovely ladies moved Trudie out of the road but, before they could confine her and take her for care, she darted off. It was awful to think of her in pain somewhere in need of urgent veterinary treatment. We never expected her to survive so long on her own as we tried our best to find her but she was nowhere to be found.

“We put up posters in the area, put out appeals on social media and contacted all of the local vets but there was no news. Every day that passed, the chances of finding her alive reduced. We were so worried about her.

“We dropped leaflets off at local homes and businesses and asked people if they’d seen her, contacted local charities and rescue centres and worked with Cat Welfare Luton to try and track her down.”

On 30 March a business owner spotted her in his yard and contacted the RSPCA.

“It wasn’t until 16 days later when there was finally a sighting of her and she was caught and rushed to Wood Street Veterinary Hospital, in Barnet, London, for life-saving treatment,” Katie added. “She was exhausted, frail and clearly struggling. Her facial injuries meant she’d been unable to eat and she was extremely underweight and weak.”

Trudie spent over a week at the hospital where she had surgery to remove her eye and have her jaw wired. For the first week she had to be fed via a tube but at Southridge’s cattery, she continues to recover well from her brush with death.