SEQUIM — Resting comfortably in her foster parents’ arms on Thursday, China the cat is recovering from hip and paw surgery after falling more than 60 feet from a tree over the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The surgery, performed last week, was paid for mostly by North Olympic Peninsula residents who donated more than $3,000 to help China in an unusual outpurring of support.

“She is on the road to recovery now,” said Diana Lusby, who along with her husband, Eldon, is fostering China.

“She is feeling a little better each day.”

During the surgery, an upper portion of China’s hip bone was removed and two middle toes of her left paw had to be amputated because of protruding bones.

“But she is expected to make a full recovery and live the normal life as a housecat,” Lusby said.

About 100 people donated to “The China Fund” after reading about the cat’s miraculous survival story in the Peninsula Daily News earlier this month.

A few donations came in from as far away as Florida, Arizona and California — probably aided by China’s story on the PDN’s Internet site on the World Wide Web as well as KOMO-TV’s Web site in Seattle.

“We are so pleased with the public’s response to China’s story,” said Nancy Campbell, treasurer of Peninsula Friends of Animals.

“The outpouring of donations and get-well messages makes us all feel blessed to live in such a compassionate community.”