If you thought you had a tough day, think again. Joe, a two-month-old buff tabby kitten, was run over by an industrial lawnmower last week. Luckily for him, an unidentified good Samaritan found him and made sure he received medical attention before turning him in to the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter.

The details of the incident are few and far between Joes lucky break is shrouded in mystery. From what the shelter could piece together and what the person who brought Joe in said, the kitten found himself in the path of an industrial mower that was cutting tall grass at an unknown location.

Joes companion did not survive the mower, and Joe was in pretty bad shape when he was found. The shelters Special Events Coordinator Diann Hohenthaner said he had fly eggs on him, indicating time had passed between his injury and his rescue.

He was taken to a local animal hospital where the mangled parts of his ear were surgically removed, he received reconstructive surgery and his wounds were stitched up. The next day, Tues., June 17, he was surrendered to the shelter.

Hohenthaner said that the vet preferred to remain anonymous, so the shelter does not know who took care of Joes medical needs. The kittens life before he tangled with the mower is also unclear. She said he does not seem feral, but he did not have a collar when they got him and no owners have responded to the lost reports, so he may have been a stray.

Joes run in with the mower is far from unique, but his recovery is far from common.

Its common this time of year, Hohenthaner said, although she added the usual victims are rabbits. Most of the time this kind of thing happens, no one survives.
She added that in many of these cases, the people mowing may not even know that it happened.

Joe was one of the lucky ones, though. Right now he is wearing an E-collar to ensure he does not undo his stitches, but he is still playing, jumping and eating his way down the road to recovery.

Hes acting like a normal two-month-old kitten, said Hohenthaner, who has taken Joe into foster care at her home. Its really miraculous hes been able to come through this.

Despite his ordeal, Joes hearing is still intact the outer parts of his ears were removed, but the interior portions seem to be fine.

He hears fine now because when I get up in the morning he starts meowing for attention, she said, which has her tiptoeing around her house in the mornings to keep from waking him.