Compassionate community members sprang into action to save Magnus after he was struck by a truck on a bustling North Vancouver road.
“He was hurt badly and hid underneath the parked cars on the road,” says Sarah Henderson, manager of the BC SPCA West Vancouver. “He was crying out in pain. The woman who witnessed the hit and run rallied her neighbours and together they safely got him into a carrier; the witness rushed him to an emergency animal hospital.”
Henderson adds that the veterinarian who cared for Magnus said he would not have survived the night had these kind-hearted people not stepped in and got him the care he needed. “Magnus was in extreme pain, bradycardic, hypothermic and dehydrated with pulmonary contusions, and a severe right tibia fracture that required surgery,” says Henderson. “Thanks to their actions Magnus survived and is now living in a lovely forever home with his new Dad.”
Miguel was initially interested in being a BC SPCA cat foster when he visited the animal centre in West Vancouver. “I have a lot of friends who foster cats,” says Miguel. He went into the cat room at the centre and there was Magnus – the connection was instant. “He was so nice, so sweet and calm. Our energies matched,” says Miguel. “I could see myself in him, but Magnus was also very playful with me.” The team at the animal centre hadn’t seen Magnus show the same level of playfulness with anyone else.
Miguel expressed an interest in adopting Magnus. Due to his compelling story Magnus was getting a lot of attention and a family had already submitted an application. In an “it was meant to be moment” the family rescinded their application and Miguel applied to be Magnus’ parent – the rest is history.
“He is doing very well,” says Miguel. “He was limping the first day I brought him home, but in less than a week, he was walking and running normally.” He adds that Magnus used to look to him for help getting down when he would jump up on the top of the fridge, but now he is very independent and likes to be left to explore his new home on his own.
One of the things the two have in common is a dislike for loud noises. “He will be especially careful when he is walking around glasses or cups, anything that might make a loud noise when it falls,” says Miguel. “He carefully weaves through them without touching a single object – he is not one of those cats who loves to push things off a ledge.”
What Magnus does love is hanging out with Miguel when he is working late. “He sleeps throughout the day and then he will hang out with me when I work late,” says Miguel. “He lays right beside the keyboard, or he will crawl into my lap. He can’t get enough of watching the mouse curser move side to side on the screen.”
Miguel adds Magnus is very smart and has the most interesting way of communicating what he wants. Miguel reveals, “A little salute with one paw means he wants pets, raising both paws signals he wants to be picked up and placing one paw behind his ear is his way of asking for scratches.”
“He is such a character,” says Miguel. “I set up four different perch-and-go boxes, he has a cat tower, and a bed, but his favourite thing is this random empty cardboard box I had out.” He adds Magnus is also a big fan of his scratching post and his toy mice. “He stalks them from across the room and then he pounces on them.”
“I am so happy I got this chance to give Magnus a home,” says Miguel. “We are such a perfect match. My happiest moments are when we’re just lounging together on the couch, listening to him purr.”
Cat struck by truck in North Vancouver has surgery to repair crushed leg
Original story: February 19, 2025
A kind-hearted person brought Magnus, a young cat, to an emergency animal hospital after witnessing him being hit by a truck on West Keith Road in North Vancouver.
“The witness watched a truck speed down the road and saw Magnus get hit. She could hear him crying out in pain,” says Sarah Henderson, animal care manager BC SPCA West Vancouver. “The truck did not stop.”
Magnus was bleeding from multiple areas. The witness watched as he dragged himself under a car close to the spot where he had been hit. “She immediately went door to door asking if anyone in the neighbourhood recognized Magnus, which inspired neighbours to come out to try and catch him so he could get the help he needed.”
The witness didn’t think Magnus was going to make it. “Based on the amount of blood loss and his obviously broken leg, she was very concerned,” says Henderson. “Together with the neighbours, they managed to get Magnus out from under the car where he was hiding and the witness rushed him to an emergency veterinary hospital.”
The hospital reached out to the BC SPCA West Vancouver animal centre to see if they would be willing to take on the cost of his care. “The staff at the animal hospital informed us Magnus was in such rough shape, he would not have survived the night if the witness and her neighbours had not intervened,” says Henderson. “We did eventually locate his owner, but they decided to surrender Magnus to us.”
Magnus required substantial veterinary care. “The poor cat was in extreme pain, bradycardic (slow heartbeat), hypothermic and dehydrated with pulmonary contusions, and a severe right tibia fracture that required surgery,” says Henderson. “He was hospitalized overnight and given pain medication and fluids. He was placed with a BC SPCA foster and is now recovering from surgery.”
“This is a sweet cat who experienced a traumatic injury,” says Henderson. “His foster family reports he is a very friendly boy who was purring and ‘making biscuits’ even before his surgery. He takes his meds very well and he purrs every time they scratch his head.”
Magnus is expected to be available for adoption sometime in the next week.