A KILWINNING animal lover is determined to save her cat who was hit by a car in Egypt while heavily pregnant.

Reema Shafiq, 29, adopted Pickles the cat after spotting her online and reading her tragic story.

Pickles was in a bad state and left with no stomach muscles with many large hernias after she didn’t receive the proper medical care.

Her kittens we born with missing limbs and in bad health due to the accident and Pickles was desperate for help.

The poor cat then made the three day journey from Egypt to Ayrshire but then faced another blow when they found out the local vet couldn’t help Pickles.

But Reema decided the feline had come too far to give up now and got her new pet referred to a specialist.

Then she found out it would cost £5,000 to get Pickles the surgery she needs to be healthy again.

Now Reema, who works as a senior auditor at RBS headquarters, is desperately fundraising to find the funds to save her pet.

She said: “Pickles really needs a hernia operation.

“When you touch her stomach you can feel her bladder and intestines, she has no stomach muscles at all.

“It has been suggested that I just put her down but she has come so far and travelled a long way.

“She has also really bonded with my little kitten and I wouldn’t want to separate them now.

“I took her to a vet in Glasgow who just fell in love with her but told us the surgery would be about £5,000.

“I was worried because that was just too much I didn’t know how I would be able to get that kind of money, but the vet was so touched by Pickles story so she put her forward for the angel fund which helps pay for the surgery.

“So then we were feeling optimistic again and are at the point were we have to £1000 on the GoFund Me page and £2000 from the vet so just need a bit more to save Pickles.

“We can’t give up now and need all the help we can get.

“She’s only two years old and has her whole life ahead of her.”