The long-haired ginger cat, whose owner is unknown, is recovering well after surgery but faces a long rehabilitation.
On Thursday, Flax Cafe assistant manager Ashlea Dalziel was at work in Caversham when she saw the cat cross South Rd in morning rush hour traffic and get hit.
The blow broke the cat's jaw, fractured his tibia and damaged his pelvis.
‘‘It was awful,'' Miss Dalziel said.
SPCA Otago was contacted and emergency responder Simon McLachlan came to the rescue and took the cat to Humanimals Veterinary Clinic in South Dunedin.
In the absence of the cat's owner, SPCA Otago named him Lazarus and gave Humanimals the authority to administer pain relief and assess the damage.
Humanimals vet Alistair Newbould gave SPCA Otago two options - euthanise Lazarus or start a series of expensive operations, at a cost of about $2000.
SPCA Otago executive officer Sophie McSkimming said because the beautiful, happy cat was a fighter the decision was easy.
‘‘Everyone loved him, so we just had to save him.''
A fundraising page was launched and, as of yesterday, more than $2200 had been raised, Ms McSkimming said.
Dr Newbould said when Lazarus arrived, it was ‘‘touch and go''.
‘‘It was all on in the first few hours.''
But the cat was a fighter and since the operations he had been recovering well.
Lazarus had a splinted support dressing on his leg, his jaw had been wired and he was eating.
Ms McSkimming said any excess money raised would be used for Lazarus' long road of rehabilitation and postoperative care.
If Lazarus' owner did not come forward and make themselves known to the SPCA by tomorrow, he would become the property of Otago SPCA, which would make him available for adoption.
