Barney Bear was found abandoned in a cat carrier beside dustbins, discarded like rubbish.

A kind member of the public took him in, but in his panic and pain Barney escaped, leaving him alone on the streets.

When Waltham Forest Cats Protection were alerted, we rushed to help and found Barney hiding, weak and desperate for food. His hunger made it possible to gently trap him and get him urgently needed veterinary care.

What we saw broke our hearts. 💔

Barney was severely malnourished, covered in flea dirt, missing an eye and he struggled to eat from a painfully infected mouth. We had no idea why he’d lost his eye or what he had endured.

Under anaesthetic, the vet found wire still inside his jaw, evidence of a previous jaw-wiring surgery that should have been followed up but wasn’t. The site was badly infected and poor Barney had been living in excruciating pain with no pain relief. The vet also confirmed that his eye had been surgically removed, likely after a car accident that severely injured the left side of his face.

Today, Barney is finally safe and has been neutered, microchipped, fully vaccinated, had much needed dental work, and is now recovering with one of our dedicated fosterers.

Through everything, Barney has remained gentle, sweet, and loving. This big, beautiful lad has a heart of pure gold. 💛

Barney will be looking for his forever home in the New Year and we would love to hear from you if you would like to adopt our gorgeous bear. 😻

Barney is safe this Christmas but there are so many more cats that need our help. We can only help cats like Barney with your support so please donate to our Christmas Appeal so our small, volunteer run branch can continue rescuing and rehabilitating vulnerable cats who desperately need a second chance. Every penny truly makes a difference. 🙏

Cats Protection help more cats than any other organisation and we want to help millions more. We are a dedicated community of passionate employees, volunteers, supporters and partners, working together to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.

We are the voice of cats in society and we speak up for their protection.

We’re working towards a society where every cat is treated with kindness and respect.

Making a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

To find out more please visit: www.cats.org.uk/waltham