He Survived the Unthinkable: Cat With 5 Fractures Finds the Love he Deserves -
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A British Blue cat who endured horrific abuse during the first year of his life has found a loving new home after months of recovery and rehabilitation.
Benito was subjected to repeated episodes of blunt force trauma while in the care of a former owner. Between March and September 2023, vets recorded a catalogue of severe injuries, including a fractured right femur, broken leg, injured pelvic limb, a limp tail, a chest injury, and hind leg limping. Each injury was sustained in separate incidents—raising serious concerns.
In November 2023, Benito's condition worsened. His owner returned him to the vet after he became weak, was meowing while walking, and could barely stand. He was suffering from a head tremor, knuckling on all four limbs, and had become unusually subdued. Further examination revealed a fractured spine.
The veterinary team became increasingly concerned that they were not accidental. Their suspicions prompted them to contact the U.K.'s largest animal welfare charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), which promptly launched an investigation into the disturbing case.
An x-ray showing five skeletal fractures. The British Blue can be seen lying in his enclosure with a bandage around his paw.
An x-ray showing five skeletal fractures. The British Blue can be seen lying in his enclosure with a bandage around his paw.
RSPCA
Courts in the UK now have the authority to impose tougher penalties for severe animal cruelty, with maximum prison sentences extended from six months to five years under the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act. The law, effective since June 2021, also allows for unlimited fines and targets extreme offenses such as dog fighting, puppy abuse, ear cropping, and severe neglect.
In contrast, animal cruelty laws in the U.S. remain inconsistent. As of 2024, only 22 states mandate possession bans after a cruelty conviction—often limited to specific crimes or species—while 20 states, Guam, and Washington, D.C., permit such bans at the court's discretion.
When Benito was rescued, he was unable to stand and appeared hand-shy when approached near his face.
Benito had broken teeth and a burn.
Benito had broken teeth and a burn.
RSPCA
Inspector Vicki Taylor said in a statement: "It is saddening to see the history of Benito and all the injuries he has sustained in a short period of time. The investigation also revealed a photograph of a burn that Benito had suffered, Benito was clearly being hurt regularly by his owner."
Authorities removed Benito from his home and placed him in the care of the RSPCA's Newbrook Animal Hospital in Birmingham, England, where he received urgent treatment for his spinal fracture.
He was administered pain relief every eight hours for a month, antibiotics, and physiotherapy. Due to his immobility, staff turned him every six hours, helped him toilet, and fed him while he lay on his chest to avoid additional pain
Following six weeks of cage rest and gentle physiotherapy, Benito began to show signs of recovery. He was placed into foster care before being adopted by Sugra Sabri, 54, and her daughter Razeenah.
Sugra Sabri holding Benito, who can also be seen drinking from a bowl.
Sugra Sabri holding Benito, who can also be seen drinking from a bowl.
RSPCA
Sabri shared her account of Benito's initial struggles when he arrived at their home in a statement.
She said: "We had a separate room ready for him as advised so that he could get used to his own space first before the rest of the house but he just ran out, with his tail curled in and hid in the corner.
"He wasn't interested in food, he just huddled in the corner, he didn't want anyone near him. It took him about a week but slowly he came into the kitchen to nose around and move towards us."
Initially uninterested in even simple pleasures, Benito didn't care to watch birds from the window—a typical pastime for many cats.
"It took about five months before he started sitting at the window to watch birds," Sabri said.
"Now he's lovely, and he has the full run of the house. He's very gentle and loving, never scratches, if he doesn't want more pets he will just move away. Although he's not a lap cat, he hadn't had that from a young age so I don't think it comes naturally to him. He will come and sit by us but not on us.
"He likes people to sit with him whilst he sleeps, and have someone around with him though which is nice. If he wants pets he will lie on the floor with his legs in the air!"
Sabri and her daughter quickly bonded with Benito, nicknamed "Benny," and made the decision to keep him.
"I wanted to foster lots of different cats but Benny is just so adorable, sweet and gentle that the idea of giving him up just didn't sit right with me," she said.
"My daughter is so close to him too—he turned two this month so as it's also my daughter's birthday they had a joint birthday party at my daughter's insistence. She loves him too, she's well into animals and especially cats, and he brings us both a lot of joy!"
Although physically healed, Benito still experiences anxiety. He remains easily startled by loud noises, avoids direct eye contact, and is wary of new visitors. Still, his progress is encouraging.
"He would shoot off when we had visitors but now he's quite happy to lounge around even when we have visitors and he's got a lot of fans," Sugra said. "We call him a small cuddly bear as he's so soft and cuddly, visitors love him, we love him!"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie rangers caught unlawfully using 'cruel' devices on native animals
Australian authorities have admitted to unlawfully using a controversial device to capture dingoes so they could be killed, despite the possession and practice being 'in breach' of their own animal welfare rules. The ACT Government confirmed the mistake with Yahoo News, revealing it permitted soft-jaw traps to be used for years, even after it passed an amendment in 2019 that prohibited them. When stepped on, the trap's jaws snap tightly around the animal's foot, keeping it in a fixed position until a routine check is made, sometimes causing it pain for hours. Unlike steel-jawed traps, they have padding to lessen damage to the animal's limb, and they are commonly used for dingo control in other states. The practice of trapping dingoes on public land was never hidden. But it's understood that until recently, the territory authorities didn't realise the method was now banned. Most animal welfare groups oppose the traps, with Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society International) claims they are 'inherently cruel, cause intense stress, injury, and prolonged suffering'. While Deakin University ecologist Professor Euan Ritchie said governments have 'far better ways' to manage dingoes humanely. Alix Livingstone from wildlife protection organisation Defend the Wild described them as "outdated". Why are dingoes trapped? Dingoes are regarded as a separate species from domestic dogs, and they have notable behavioural differences, including howling like wolves. DNA testing across Australia suggests there is very little hybridisation between dogs and dingoes. Despite being culturally important to Indigenous people and playing an important ecological role as an apex predator, state and territory governments around Australia routinely trap, shoot and poison dingoes on public land that borders farmland, due to concerns they kill sheep. Two notable places they are protected are K'gari in Queensland and a small, critically endangered population in Victoria's northwest. How was the illegal trapping discovered? In July, a confidential source alerted Yahoo about conflicting descriptions of soft-jaw traps in ACT government documents. Their possession and use were explicitly prohibited as prescribed items alongside shock collars and cockfighting spurs under the Animal Weflare Act and the associated Animal Welfare Regulation. Yet another government document, the ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy, described them as an 'effective technique' to control wild dogs, which is a common term used to describe dingoes. On July 23 this year, Yahoo posed six questions to Parks and Conservation Services (PCS), which manages dingo control, about its use of soft-jaw traps. It did not respond directly and instead emailed a short statement from the government. 'The ACT Government is currently reviewing the legislation and the appropriateness of the regulatory settings regarding the management of overabundant wildlife in the ACT,' it said. For over a week, further requests for comment did not receive a response. Government amends laws and resumes dingo trapping Concerns about the use of soft-jaw traps were raised at an uncomfortable time for the ACT government. It is in the process of updating the Nature Conservation Act to change the status of dingoes from a pest species to a controlled native animal, giving it a similar status to eastern grey kangaroos. And this has upset some farmers who fear it could make it harder to control dingoes, and the matter was raised during budget estimates on Friday. After PCS was told it was illegally using traps, it suspended their use for weeks. But it quietly began working on amending legislation. On July 31, a new regulatory change was published by the government, creating an exemption for the use of soft-jaw traps by permit holders and conservation officers. Then on August 1, as the law came into effect, it resumed dialogue with Yahoo, responding to new questions by issuing a lengthy statement. 'The use of soft-jaw traps by [PCS], primarily for controlling pest animals or overabundant native wildlife under the Biosecurity Act 2023, was recently found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 1992 and its associated Regulation,' it said in part. 'Although PCS had used these traps for many years as part of their pest management activities, an amendment in 2019 added soft-jaw traps to the list of prohibited items under the Animal Welfare Regulation 2001, rendering their continued use unlawful.' It then explained its decision to resume their use, claiming they are "essential for effective dingo control". "To resolve the issue, the ACT Government has amended the Animal Welfare Regulation to include exemptions to the possession and use of soft-jaw traps," it said. Government urged to consider 'humane' control methods The government said soft-jaw traps are used in accordance with national animal welfare standards, including the National Code of Practice for the humane control of dingoes and that daily inspections and prompt euthanasia ensure "humane treatment". But the decision to amend legislation rather than adhere to established animal welfare protections has frustrated a number of leading experts and ecologists. Humane World for Animals Dr Renae Charalambous described the change as 'deeply troubling'. 'Rather than bringing their wildlife management practices into line with the law and community expectations, the government has amended the legislation to suit its own operational needs,' she said. "The use of these traps to manage native species like dingoes is particularly disturbing. Dingoes are a native apex predator, not a 'pest', and lethal control methods like trapping and killing fail to provide long-term solutions to conflicts with livestock." In many cases, traps can kill or harm non-target native wildlife, including birds, wombats, and goannas. Due to the risks they pose to animal welfare, Professor Euan Ritchie warned trapping can also harm and, in some cases, said 'strong considerations' needed to be made about where and when they were used. 'Leg-hold traps can cause a range of impacts on dingoes, ranging from relatively minor and short-lived pain and discomfort, through to more severe pain and distress, swelling, dehydration, bruising, lacerations, dislocations, and fractures,' he told Yahoo. Continuing, he said there are 'better ways' to manage dingoes that are more humane than trapping, shooting and poisoning, and that more investment was needed in alternative methods. 'Strategic fencing, but not large barrier fencing, has a role. So too does the appropriate use of guardian dogs and donkeys, which have been demonstrated to be effective in Australia, and around the world,' he said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Ghislaine Maxwell Subpoena Update as House Waits on Supreme Court
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer told Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys the panel is willing to delay her subpoenaed deposition until after the Supreme Court rules on an appeal she has filed, a decision expected in late September. Maxwell's legal team had warned she would invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination unless certain conditions were met, including congressional immunity, conducting the deposition outside her prison, receiving advance questions, and waiting for the appeal's conclusion. Comer said Maxwell's testimony remains "vital" to the committee's Jeffrey Epstein investigation but ruled out granting immunity or providing questions in advance. He added the panel is "willing to engage in good faith negotiations" and will continue its practice of holding detailed discussions about the scope of testimony. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Judge in Grenada sentences 3 escaped prisoners found guilty in killing of US yachting couple
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Three escaped prisoners from the eastern Caribbean island of Grenada who were accused of killing an elderly U.S. couple last year after hijacking their catamaran have been sentenced. Ron Mitchell, a sailor in his 30s who was accused of being the ringleader, received two life sentences late Wednesday in the killings of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel. Atiba Stanislaus, a farmer in his late 20s, received 60 years for manslaughter and nearly 18 years for the rape of Brandel, among other sentences, for a variety of crimes including kidnapping. Trevon Robertson, an unemployed man in his early 20s, received 56 years for manslaughter and other sentences for different crimes, according to local media reports. The New Today, a local newspaper, reported that prosecutors said the men bound and gagged the couple before throwing them overboard, with Mitchell accused of steering the yacht over Hendry. The two bodies were never found. Police at the time said the men had escaped in late February 2024 from the South Saint George Police Station. They hijacked the catamaran Simplicity on the following day and then headed to nearby St. Vincent, where they were arrested, according to authorities. The nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association had said that Hendry and Brandel were 'veteran cruisers' and longtime members of the association, calling them 'warm-hearted and capable.' It said the couple was spending the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean.
