Video: Meet Maxy, the miracle cat survivor of horrific hit-and-run

Maximus the cat, during a check up at the vets and who is in the running for a national survivor of the year award. Picture: PA

Five-year-old Maximus, was found with his skull fractured in several places, his jaw completely split in two, his right eye was missing and the skin on his lips had been partly torn off.

His life hung in the balance, but after extensive surgery and months of care, Maximus made an incredible recovery.

Maximus is now going whisker to whisker with three other plucky pets for the title of PDSA Pet Survivor of the Year 2018, shortlisted by a judging panel including James McVey from The Vamps.

In June last year Maximus, known affectionately as Maxy, was found slumped against the front door by a neighbour.

It was clear he wasn’t ok – his face was a mess, his jaw was hanging off and he was covered in blood.

He was taken to Inglis Vet Centre in Dunfermline, where vets heard he had dragged himself home after the car drove off.

Once he was stabilised, the harrowing nature of his injuries became apparent and euthanasia was discussed, but his owner Sharon Trotter asked the vets to do anything they could to save him.

She knew that Maxy was a fighter – if anyone could recover it was him – plus she knew her son Cory would be devastated to lose him.

Vets put a metal pin across the front of his face, through his nose, to keep the two halves of his fractured upper jaw together while they healed. His lower jaw was also wired into place. As he was coming round from the operation, Max stopped breathing twice and required resuscitation.

Maxy required round-the-clock care and nursing, which his owners took on with support from the vets and nurses.

Sharon said: “He needed tube feeding every four hours, and his wounds had to be cleaned and redressed every day. This went on for over six weeks, but Maximus took it all in his stride. He always allowed us and our vet nurses to do everything we needed to, he had such a quiet resolve it was an inspiration.”

But unless he started to eat for himself, there were still no guarantees for Maxy’s future. Then, seven weeks after the incident, he managed to eat his first solid food – everyone was overjoyed.

Maximus is now well on the road to recovery and has truly lived up to his gladiator name.

Vet Erin Logan said: “All of our patients are special individuals to us, but occasionally one comes along who is truly inspiring. Maximus’s recovery left us in awe of the healing abilities of nature and just what is truly possible with resilience, character and the determination to survive – he could teach us all lessons about life in adversity.

“I doubt in the rest of my career I will come across another personality like Maximus and it is a genuine privilege to have been involved with both him and Sharon. I feel he is truly deserving of the title PDSA Pet Survivor of the Year.”

Voting is now open at www.pdsa.org.uk/petsurvivor2018