Leesburg store employees help injured cat

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Southwest Georgia is known to have feral cats roaming around. Some are a nuisance but many start to become like a wild pet.

After being run over by a car last week, Stubbs, the Local Grocery store pet is now on her way to recovery.

Store manager at Local Grocery Matt Blair said Stubbs is well known to many of the customers and staff.

Stubbs has lived in the building for three to four years before the store opened two years ago. “Everybody in town feeds her,” Blair said. “An everyone misses her.”

Employees at the store found the cat lying near the store and looked to be in bad shape. They tried to pick her up, but she ran under a drain pipe where she remained for three days until animal control rescued her.

Lee County Animal Control was told Stubbs’ leg might have to be amputated. But as of today, veterinarians think that’s no longer the anticipated outcome since she was able to slowly stand on all four legs today.

“Right now, we’re trying to raise as many funds as possible to help cover her costs for her x-rays, her blood work and her ongoing care that she’s receiving right now in East Albany,” Kathy Mills, one of the animal control officers who rescued the cat, said. “So donations can be brought here to the Local Grocery store or directly to East Albany Veterinary Clinic.”

Due to her injuries, Stubbs will no longer be able to serve as the store pet. But staff at the store and at the animal shelter want to do their best to find her a more permanent home.

“We’re looking for just that right home that will adopt her and she will be an indoor only kitty,” Mills said. “Supervised visits outside because she’s- her whole life she’s only known outside. So this is going to be a very big change for her. So we’re hoping whoever decides to adopt her will escort her outside. Stay with her while she runs around and stuff like that.”

Blair said the veterinarian bill could be anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 and any help is gladly appreciated.

Please visit Local Grocery or call the East Albany Veterinary Clinic at (229) 432-0717 to help with Stubbs’ veterinary bills.

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