THIS brave moggie gave those caring for her a shock after her paw fell off following a horrific injury.

Heavily pregnant Penny was found in agony with a badly wounded front leg after getting her foot wrapped up in wire.

Despite the efforts of vets, who could not operate due to the pregnancy, the right paw came off in the hands of a volunteer as she was cleaning it.

But against all the odds, Penny has been hailed a survivor after giving birth to six healthy kittens.

Southampton Cats Protection told how the one-year-old was rescued after she was found in Lymington.

Penny’s wounds were so serious and she was so distressed that her carer at Cats Protection said vets considered putting her down if she turned out to be feral.

The foot was hugely swollen and rock hard, with the wound full of maggots.

She had wounds to the top of her leg and a damaged eye which may have been as a result of her attempts to free herself from the wire.

But despite all this, Penny was able to give birth to six tiny, weak kittens.

It was once she had given birth, though, that her injured paw fell off as she was being cleaned by Cats Protection volunteer Paula Pelosi.

Paula said: “When I removed the towel I was pleased to see what looked like the scab had come away.

“I looked at her paw to see what was under it and that is when I realised her foot had fallen off.”

Luckily the wound was clean and has healed well and she has learnt how to walk on it.

The 65-year-old, who nursed Penny from the very beginning, said that the kittens had given Penny the lift she needed.

She added: “Up to then she had a look of resignation. She’s gone through hell and back.

“She’s a hero to me – to go through all that and in the middle of it when she was poorly to give birth to six kittens. She’s definitely a survivor.”

All of the 12-week-old kittens, Holly, Rowan, Oak, Acer, Cedar and Hazel have already gone to new homes, but Penny is still waiting for a home.

If you can offer a loving new home call 01202 469206.