Resilience of Kitten with Twisted Leg Becomes an Inspiration for Everyone
A few people rescued a litter of cats in the city of Anchorage, Alaska, some time ago. When they checked all the kittens, they found that one of them had a twisted leg.
In hopes of providing her with the best treatment and a chance at a good life, they took her to an animal rescue organization for animals with special needs called Mojo's Hope.
The founder of Mojo's Hope and also Alaska's KAAATs, Shannon Basner, named the kitten Lady Purrl. She took her to the vet immediately to have her properly evaluated. Upon evaluation, it was determined that Lady Purrl was not only suffering from a twisted leg.
Basner shared the details and mentioned that the vets did not think Lady Purrl would be able to have a good quality of life.
“The vet team did not have high hopes for her and were very concerned about her quality of life,” Basner said.
“They were not really familiar with who we were and how powerful our mission is. Once I spoke with the vet and explained the work we do with each of these unique animals, she proceeded with her exam.”
Purrl had a severe case of diarrhea and weighed only 1.7 pounds (0.8 kg).
When further tests were conducted, her X-rays revealed that she had a fractured spine. What the vets were unable to diagnose was whether it was congenital or the result of an accident.
Basner stated, “When we got her into our regular vet, she spoke with a specialist, and it was confirmed that her condition was congenital."
Basner further revealed that "Her spine was very fragile, and there were concerns that if jolted, it could cause paralysis or even death."
“We were very careful with her, and I have these special plexiglass kitty condos for our sweet rescues/residents who need a safe place when they cannot be supervised.”
We all know that resilience and strong will can lead to amazing outcomes.
With Lady Purrl's resilience, she became stronger over time. She is now able to run, wrestle, and climb, in addition to outshining herself.
“Lady Purrl is one of the sweetest and most spunky kitties,” Basner said.
“She has grown into a very affectionate and loving sweetheart who adores lap time!”
Basner also shared how Lady Purrl has formed friendships and bonds with other animals.
“She gets along with everyone in the home, especially with her best buddies Cinder the husky and HarPURR (our paralyzed kitty). She loves to play, snuggle, and is quite the licker.”
She has formed the strongest bond with Cinder from the very moment they met.
“Cinder is my own dog who has been an amazing mentor to numerous rescues over the years. She is the most fantastic, nurturing sweetheart who absolutely adores her cats!” Basner explained.
“Cinder helped HarPURR when we rescued him, and she immediately fell in love with Lady Purrl.”
Basner further explained the role Cinder has played in Lady Purrl's grooming.
“Lady Purrl began nursing on Cinder from day one and continues to nurse on her to this day. Cinder is her surrogate mom. Purrl and Cinder play together and groom one another; it is as precious as it can get!”
Basner shared how other animals have also had a positive effect on Lady Purrl.
“Purrl plays with all of the other cats and loves to wrestle with HarPURR. They are all so precious together. She has the most loving and tender personality.”
Although the deformity of Lady Purrl's leg and her other health issues cannot be fixed,
it has in no way stopped her from thriving and living life as happily as she can.
Basner also explained how they have taken special care of her according to her needs.
“Once we got her on a special diet (high in fiber) and provided her with a special place to relieve herself (she does not use the litter box; she uses pee pads), her diarrhea went away, and she started blossoming. She grew stronger and stronger. We got her spayed in May, and she recovered beautifully!”
Basner also remarked that her twisted leg has not restricted Lady Purrl from moving around.
“She is like lightning when it is nom-nom time or when she is getting to where she wants to go. She loves to climb and explore (while being carefully supervised).”
Since Basner is managing the rescue facility from her home, she has to ensure that all the rescues and residents have their special needs met.
Basner said that the special bond between Lady Purrl, HarPURR, and Cinder has helped in making the decision to keep her at home.
“I also had to consider what may happen as she continues to age, and keeping her with us will help us monitor her closely.”
Basner added, “We cannot predict that she will stay in good health, but with routine vet visits, quality care, and all the love, we hope she will be with us for a very long time.”
She is the biggest fan of their bonding.
“The beautiful friendships and bonds that develop here between species and across species are something extraordinary. I feel so fortunate every day to be surrounded by such love, positivity, and sass. Their daily interactions are uniquely special, and they sure do know how to keep me on my toes!”
As for the milestones in Lady Purrl's life, the 13th of November was one such day, as it marked her 1st birthday.
“For a kitten that some didn’t think would have a good quality of life, she sure showed how resilient, strong, and wonderful she is.”
“We always assess very carefully, and when we see that glimmer of spunk, sass, insPURRation, and determination, we will do whatever we can to give each one the best life possible.”
“Each one teaches us so much about what we can do and how to never give up!”
“Purrl overcame so much at the beginning of her little life, and she showed everyone that she is a true warrior kitty,” Basner said.
Reading about Lady Purrl's inspirational journey, people on the internet shared a lot of praise for her.
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