‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover

Cat suffered burns covering more than 50 percent of body

Era the cat suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

By Maria Papadopoulos

BOSTON — Era has come a long way.

The brave female cat has endured months of painful and invasive treatments to promote healing, after suffering burns on more than half of its body in November.

“She is incredibly resilient and has responded very well to treatment, and will indeed get the second chance at life that she deserves,” the Animal Rescue League of Boston said in a statement on Friday.

‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

‘Incredibly resilient’: Era, an Oxford cat that suffered severe burns, continues to recover (Animal Rescue League of Boston)

Shelter officials have been caring for Era since November, when the one-year-old cat was found in a work shed in Oxford with the extensive burns.

ARL’s veterinary team assessed that second and third-degree burns were covering over half Era’s body. Treatment has included pain management and twice-weekly wound debridement to remove dead skin and expose the new skin underneath to promote healing, officials said.

“It is still unknown what caused the burns and whether it was an intentional act, but ARL’s primary focus has been saving the animal’s life and preparing her for the next chapter in her life,” the Animal Rescue League statement said. “Era’s path to recovery is nearly complete, but with her healing at about 80 percent, she still has a way to go before going home.”

The cost of Era’s care has exceeded $20,000. The Animal Rescue League is asking the public to donate to help care for Era and other shelter animals in need of care.

“The cost of her care is roughly $1,000-1,500 per week and it is likely she’ll have to undergo at least another month of treatment before being adopted,” Animal Rescue League officials said.

Oxford is a small town in Worcester County. The town had a population of 13,347 for the 2020 U.S. Census.

Anyone interested in helping Era and other homeless animals can visit the Animal Rescue League website.

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