SPCA New Zealand

From rescued to rehomed: Dill Pickle’s story

30 August 2022

Here at SPCA, we have dozens of animals come through our doors every day. Our ‘Rescued to Rehomed’ stories share just some of the tales of those who come into our care, in pain and often fighting for their lives, before making an inspiring recovery.

From rescued to rehomed: Dill Pickle’s story

A smoocher from day one

Brought to our Whanganui Centre as a stray, kitten Dill Pickle – or Pickle for short – was in a devastating condition. He was suffering from a severe case of cat flu which at this young age can be life-threatening when left untreated. His eyes were swollen shut with infection, and our team worked tirelessly to save his eyes and what little vision he had. Pickles was transferred to our Wellington Centre for the best medical attention.

Sadly, it became clear that no amount of medication could save his eyes. After multiple assessments, SPCA vets discovered his eyes had irrversable scarring, and this brave kitten underwent surgery to remove both eyes. Our team marvelled at how smoochy and loveable Pickle was throughout this, despite the considerable pain we knew he was in.

A new journey....

Post surgery, it was clear the right choice had been made for Pickle. With no more infection, he finally began to show signs of being a playful, inquisitve kitten. Luckily for him, he didn’t need to wait long to find his forever home either.

Josh, SPCA’s Feline Lead in Wellington, had been keeping a close eye on Pickle’s progress throughout every hurdle and milestone.

“There was something about him that immediately made me fall in love,“ he recalls. As the weeks went by, Josh could feel his attachment to Pickle growing. With an inside-only cat at home already, he knew Pickle would fit right in. Only a few days after becoming availble for adoption, Josh had the papers ready and wasted no time signing on the dotted line and bringing this affectionate boy home!

As a cat with special needs, everyone was over the moon to hear Pickle had found his forever home with Josh, and knew he’d would have the best life in his care.

Home at last!

To Josh’s surprise, it didn’t take Pickle much time at all to get acquainted with his new surroundings. For blind animals, the introduction to a new environment can be complicated and often disorientating. But with years of experience under his belt, Josh knew to take things slow and introduce new rooms one day at a time – so as not to overwhelm the little guy.

Pickle supassed everyone’s expectations, learning the lay of the land within just a few days! He was quick to memorise his new surroundings and he quickly grew more confident in his new forever home. He has even been spotted hopping from table to window and back, exploring nooks and crannies, and jumping in and out of the tub with ease.

Along with a loving family, Pickle also got to meet his new big sister, Chutney! A little skeptical at first, Chutney couldn’t quiet figure out why Pickle didn’t abide by the normal rules of the cat world. Eventually she realised something was a little different about the new arrival, and her whole demeanor changed. Josh says, “I think as soon as it clicked that he was blind she went into "big sister" mode, they chase and play wrestle and cause absolute havoc but in the most happy playful ways!” As you can see, these two are now fully acquainted and love each other’s company.

Josh couldn’t be more pleased with how quickly Pickle has become a part of their family.

“He loves his jingle ball which he carries around and will bring it to one of us to throw for him, like playing fetch – he can be quite puppy-like. He really likes to snuggle with us in bed too. He fits into the home perfectly, it’s quite amazing,” Josh shared.

After his ordeal, its so rewarding to see Pickle in his new forever home, living the life every feline deserves – one filled with smooches, fetch and a loving family.

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