Series 1 – Episode 3
Shirley Quinn took pity on stray white cat living underneath an abandoned car on her way from work. After months of feeding the abandoned feline, which she called Apple, she brought her to Clare Meade at the Cat Hospital for a check up. It was clear that she needed a permanent home – with the right family. However a blood test revealed that Apple tested positive for feline AIDS. While this condition isn’t fatal and does not affect humans, it is transmissible within the species. It meant that Apple could not be re-homed in a house with other cats. This would make the task of having her adopted much more difficult. The team at the Cat Hospital swung into action and conduced a massive social media campaign to find Apple, the homeless cat, ‘a forever home’.
Binky’s owner Jacinta was away on holidays when her son Cian noticed he had stopped eating. Upon examination, Clare realised that the cat had a high temperature and was extremely unwell. She performed a tricky emergency operation to insert a feeding tube directly into the cat’s digestive system. After a few days, the cat eventually recovered and was picked up by its relieved owner Jacinta when she returned from her holiday. Clare later revealed that the Cat Hospital rarely sees cats as ill as Binky who luckily made a complete recovery.
Ten year old Sparky was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Having tried various forms of conventional remedies, his owner Maria called in Tom Farrington, a veterinary homeopath. Tom, who has a practice in scenic West Cork, is a trained veterinary surgeon and a homeopath. He has successfully treated both humans and animals. As Sparky’s fate hung in the balance, the question remained whether Tom’s specially mixed potion could help save his life.
Cat Hospital is a M3TV / Cornelia Street co-production.
The six-part series, sponsored by Purina ONE advanced nutrition, continues on RTÉ ONE on November 29th at 8.30 pm.