Scratch from stray cat leads to woman's leg amputation

A scratch from a stray cat led to a woman having her leg amputated.

Fran Oborski's wound turned into cellulitis, which then developed into ulcers. An allergy to the dressings on the ulcers made things worse and led to the amputation.

She said she was too late in seeking medical attention for the original wound and urged everybody to get help if it looks like something is infected.

But the Wyre Forest district councillor, from Kidderminster, said she held no ill will against Jaffa, the cat which inflicted the original injury. He now lives in her conservatory.

"But we are very, very careful not to touch him," she said.

Ms Oborski, who has four cats of her own, was scratched by Jaffa in 2022.

Cellulitis developed and she had two years of hospital and GP appointments.

In September, her bandages were replaced with adhesive dressings.

"What neither she [the nurse] nor I realised was that I was actually allergic to those dressings, which made the whole of my leg just erupt in a mass of ulcers," she said.

A consultant at Worcestershire Royal Hospital told Ms Oborski she would likely lose the leg within two years.

"So I said, 'In that case, take it off now.

"I made the decision quickly because I was sick and tired of having to go to the doctor's every day.

"If I was going to lose the leg anyway, I might as well lose it now."

Ms Oborski, who is due to have a prosthetic leg fitted soon, said if she had known what she now knows she would have sought medical attention within 24 hours.

She is still happy to feed Jaffa when he turns up, even if stroking him is off the table.

"He wasn't deliberately trying to hurt me," she said.

"It's not the cat's fault."