Cat mistaken for female has unneeded operation

However, she was astonished when she was told that Nefer was a male cat, which was realized by vet after beginning the surgery.

She has launched a case against PDSA for false information. She claims that in August she found Nefer wandering along the street and decided to her in since the cat seemed a stray, skinny and bald. She adds that she called the vets to look into it and when they inquired of the sex, she told them that the cat was a female but the vets needed to check it to be sure.

During the surgery, she said she was called in by the vets, telling her that the cat was a female, who was also suspected to be pregnant. "I made an appointment to have her spayed for a few weeks' time and carried on caring for her at home." On the day of the operation, she recalls receiving a call informing her that Nefer was a boy, which was followed by a long silence. This message shocked her as she sympathized for Nefer having to go through a lot for nothing. She now claims that she has not received any apology from PDSA.

Nefer is now very scared and hides behind the chair which is contrary to how he used to behave before the operation. He was very playful and had bonded with Sandra. However after the operation he was scared to even come near her. He has a big scar that has not healed yet and having to wait for his fur to grow back has really changed him.

Sandra does not understand up to day, how the vets could not tell that Nefer was a female or a male before the operation. She now terms the incident as deliberate. PDSA spokesman refuses to discuss the incident in detail saying that it is because of the client's strict confidentiality. He confirms that they are investigating into the matter and the findings will be communicated to the owner soon.

The Stoke Pet Hospital alone treats approximately 9,000 animals each year while giving free treatments of around 45,000.

Sandra has now launched a case with the RCVS, which is the regulatory body in the veterinary profession. The RCVS spokesman said that unless they are sure that a complaint has been raised against an individual veterinary, they cannot proceed. But, in case the complaint is formally raised, they forward it to a disciplinary Committee to conduct an investigation into the matter to see whether there are any issues related to professional misconduct.