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Cat's fall leads to leg amputation after heatwave window mishap
17 Jul
Summary
- Cat fell from fourth-floor window, sustaining severe injuries.
- Heatstroke prompted owners to leave window ajar during heatwave.
- Amputation was necessary after extensive fractures and chest injuries.
A two-year-old Russian Blue tabby cat named Rascal has undergone a leg amputation following a serious fall from a fourth-floor window in London. The incident occurred on June 26, 2026, during a severe heatwave when temperatures reached approximately 37C. Seeking to cool Rascal, who was suffering from heatstroke, his owners, junior doctors Osaruese Egharevba and Hannah Hirji, left a living room window on the latch.
Tragically, Rascal managed to push the window further open and fell approximately 20 metres. He was found injured beneath a car, unable to move his back legs. Rushed to a veterinary clinic, Rascal was diagnosed with a broken hip, fractured leg and ankle, and chest injuries. Initial treatment and surgery costs were estimated to be around £9,000, a sum the newly graduated doctors struggled to afford.
After finding a clinic that offered a payment plan, Rascal underwent life-saving surgery on June 30, which included repairing his hip and amputating his injured leg. The surgery alone cost £2,000. Rascal is now recovering at home, described by his owners as a 'three-legged warrior.' The owners have launched a fundraiser to help cover the ongoing veterinary costs.
