Hand rearing tiny Chihuahua puppies
Daisy, Ivy, Violet, Rupert and Bertie were just two days old when they arrived at Woodgreen. So, we got straight to work to ensure they had the best possible start in life!
Read more
70 days of specialist care
When this stray cat arrived at Woodgreen, our team weren’t sure he’d make it.
Firefly the cat was found as a stray on one of the hottest days of 2025. Starving, dehydrated and riddled with one of the worst cases of fleas our vets had seen, this poor cat needed urgent help.
Our vets found that Firefly weighed just 2.2kg – less than half his ideal body weight. On top of this, fleas had left him anaemic and were causing patches of fur-loss.
Every moment was critical and we needed to get Firefly to our intensive care unit urgently.
Once he was there, we could provide IV fluids to treat Firefly’s severe dehydration urgently.
With hydration in hand, managing his flea infestation was our next priority. A medicated bath and flea treatment prevented any further damage to this fragile cat’s health as well as giving Firefly the relief he needed.
The final step in Firefly’s intensive care journey was re-feeding. Gaining weight was essential for Firefly’s strength but because he was so underweight, he needed to be carefully monitored while food was reintroduced.
Healing emotional scars
After a week in our intensive care unit, we’d seen enough improvement to move Firefly to our main cat centre. But physical health was only part of Firefly’s story.
Wary of new people and unfamiliar surroundings, Firefly spent a lot of time hiding under blankets where he felt safe.
To avoid overwhelming him, Firefly’s carer would sit quietly with him and gently encourage him to pop out of his hiding spots. Food was the key to this cat’s heart so offering tasty treats helped him to build some confidence.
Consistency was key and, while he was still shy around new people, Firefly developed a brilliant bond with his carers – even rolling over for belly rubs from his favourite people!
Firefly's fresh start
Things were looking good for Firefly so we paired him up with foster carer Vanessa to give him chance to experience life in a home environment.
Vanessa gave him plenty of space and time to get used to his new space but it wasn’t long a bond began to grow.
In fact, Firefly soon felt so settled that, after 70 days in our care, he joined Vanessa’s family on a permanent basis!
More from Woodgreen
Stray Lurcher Elspeth had a lot to overcome
Senior stray Elspeth arrived severely underweight, distressed and dealing with painful dental issues.
Read more