Special Needs Cats

“Less Adoptable” Adoption Story | Scooter

Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week is September 17-25.  This “less adoptable” adoption story comes to us from Paige J.

I adopted my handicapped cat Scooter from Furkids 5½ years ago. I was a volunteer there, and I saw this new little intake kitten that was appropriately named Scooter. She was born with a hip and knee on her back left leg but no ankle or foot. On her back right leg she has a hip, knee, and ankle, but no foot or toes. Even her tail isn’t fully formed.

She has always been able to get around like a “normal” cat.  She jumps off of furniture and can even jump up onto low surfaces. She needs a low-opening cat box and low scratching surfaces and has to be put on the bed at night, but other than that she is the most loving of the 3 cats I have. She licks my nose and wags her tail like a dog.  She even will reach up with both front paws and put them on my face and licks my chin.

I love my Scooter and am so glad that I adopted her.  Even though I have to do a little extra for her, she returns the favor with lots of extra love for me.

Thank you, Paige, for adopting a special needs kitty from Furkids and for sharing your story leading up to Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week.  We appreciate it!  Your little Scooter is a very beautiful girl.

Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week

Saving Sight: How You Can Help

A police officer friend, responding to a recent call, found a stray mother cat and her five sickly kittens. Given the grave condition of their eyes, he reached out to Furkids for help. We responded immediately and went to rescue the family.

The mom, Belle Star, was malnourished but trying desperately to feed her kittens. I can honestly say that I have never encountered the severity of sickness that afflicted these kittens. The photos of their condition upon intake are too grotesque to share. We all were overcome with grief at their condition, including our veterinarian, and especially for one kitten that did not survive. We all wished we had learned of this family sooner so that we could have spared them such suffering and we vowed to do everything we could to not only save them, but save their eyesight, too.

After examination and treatment orders were received, we quickly placed the family with our experienced volunteer, Lisa. She has worked diligently to keep up with the demanding medical regimen implemented by ophthalmologist, Dr. Winston. Regardless of everyone’s best efforts, Billy the Kid and Jesse James will each lose one eye. Fortunately, they have perfect sight in their good eyes.

josey wales	jesse james	calamity jane	billy the kid

We continue to keep up with their medical regimen while we wait another month until they are old enough for their surgeries. Their other siblings, Josey Wales and Calamity Jane, will not lose an eye although they each will have cloudy vision in one. Other than the loss of an eye for two of the kittens, these are all healthy and happy kittens and they need a good home.

Right around the same time, another kitten with a horrible eye infection was found by a postal carrier during her daily route. She brought the kitten to Furkids and we named him Radar. We are grateful that Lisa agreed to foster him as well. Like the other kittens, Radar has no vision in one eye and very little sight in the other. He has an ulcer on his eye that we are aggressively treating with four different medications and weekly examinations with our specialist. It is possible Radar will go totally blind, but we hold out hope for him that the treatment will work.

The weekly doctor visits and medications for six kittens have been costly to our organization. We are grateful to have been able to help these kittens in need and we hope you agree and will provide support to help offset the great expense of their care and future surgeries.

Please help us raise $2000 using the chipin widget below.  Thank you for your support that allows us to provide the help needed in these challenging situations.