Success stories

Scruff’s journey from stray cat to loved pet

Scruff was weak, flea-ridden and covered in car oil when we found him. Here’s how we rescued and cared for this characterful kitten.

Published:

20/10/26
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Scruff was struggling for survival

In July 2026, a mechanic in Maidstone called the RSPCA after spotting a family of stray cats in his car wash. Among them was Scruff, a weak black-and-white kitten. He was filthy, underweight and suffering from an infestation of fleas and parasites so severe it was a danger to his life – so we acted fast.

Animal Rescue Volunteer, Adam Tasker, successfully rescued the nervous stray family using safe and humane cat traps (strays can often be wary of humans), including the underweight and lethargic kitten.

Scruff the cat abandoned and alone

Before

Scruff was just a kitten when we found him, vulnerable and in need of urgent care.

Scruff in our care looking better

After

Scruff has transformed into a healthy, playful kitten thanks to expert care and the kindness of the mechanic who called us.

After a week of treatment, he looked unrecognisable.

Adam Tasker, RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer

On the road to recovery

Adam rushed Scruff to our Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone Branch, where Cattery Manager, Katie Harris and her team treated him. The severe anaemia from flea bites left his back legs wobbly, and lack of proper nutrition meant Scruff was underweight. However, ear drops, four baths a day, several rounds of flea treatment and plenty of meals meant he was swiftly able to rebuild his strength – and charm the entire Maidstone team while doing so.

Originally named for his ‘scruffy’ appearance by the branch, Scruff is now as clean as a washed car; happy, healthy and homed.

Scruff needed four baths to remove the fleas that were making him seriously ill.

"He claimed the house as his"

Today Scruff thrives in his new home with Fae, her family and fellow rescue kitten Clara (born in the Maidstone cattery and rehomed with her new black-and-white brother).

Scruff may have had it tough living rough, but now he has only softness in his future. He’s taken to curling up on beds, playing with toy horses, and watching the world from his favourite windowsill.

Fae said, “he loves the house and claimed it as his as soon as we got him home.” And has since explored every inch of it. “The girls have a toy horse stable, and Scruff and Clara are always getting inside it. They only drink water out of the toy horse’s water trough.”

From car oil to water fit for a steed, Scruff’s transformation is remarkable – and exactly why we do what we do.

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