Woman Rescues a Disabled Cat Facing Euthanasia and Then Proceeds to Adopt Her
The hero of our story is a cat named Phoebe, who struggles with wobbly cat syndrome, also known as Cerebellar Hypoplasia. She couldn't have survived without her parents, who did their best to save her and help her improve her motor skills.
The veterinarian essentially deemed Phoebe terminal due to her condition, stating there was no opportunity or hope for her to live. Thankfully, Phoebe's new human prevented that from happening.
This wonderful couple has fostered more than 50 animals, but Phoebe holds a special place in their hearts. Her mom says:
"I had a bond with her that I had never experienced with a pet before. My husband and I started fostering about two years ago through Kitty Cat Haven and Rescue. We are now on our 50th cat, and Phoebe was our 25th cat to foster. The night she came into our home, she had been evaluated by a vet and diagnosed with severe CH."
The wobbly cat syndrome, as it is most commonly known, is a developmental disorder in which the brain's cerebellum does not develop properly. This area of the brain controls coordination, balance, and fine motor skills.
It frequently occurs when a mother cat contracts the feline panleukopenia virus and spreads it to her unborn kittens.
"It doesn’t affect life expectancy or cause any pain or dizziness. It just makes them wobbly. However, the vet recommended euthanasia."
She wasn't going to let that happen. Scroll down to read the whole story:
"So, I was coming home to meet this kitten who had been given a death sentence. I spent the whole evening researching, trying to educate myself as much as possible. Thankfully, the rescue decided to seek a second opinion. The second vet passionately opposed euthanasia because he saw Phoebe’s passion for life. And her life was saved."
Phoebe’s parents were able to connect with some wonderful families, and they worked to the point of actually getting Phoebe to meet some of them. But when it was time to let the kitten go, the woman simply couldn’t do it.
Meet Phoebe:
“I begged my husband to reconsider adopting her. He is the more logical one of the two of us. After seeing how well Phoebe was functioning in our home and family, he said yes.
He really stepped up to become a special needs pet dad. We weren’t sure how she would be able to get around or whether she would be able to walk at all.”
In the beginning, she would flop from one side to another. However, she was continuously making progress. Her parents are doing some physical therapy exercises to help her build strength and stability in her legs.
She was born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, also known as wobbly cat syndrome
This illness affects motor skills
But with love and care, it doesn't prevent cats from living a full life
Watch Phoebe's story on video here:
Now, Phoebe is a happy cat. She is still wobbly, but that only adds to her charm. This story is a true inspiration.
Even though the no-kill movement is making significant progress in the U.S., an astounding 2.4 million animals are still put to death in shelters each year.
That is almost one every thirteen seconds. Fostering an animal while it waits to be adopted is a simple way to assist animal shelters.
The ability to place animals in foster homes allows shelters to save more animals by making space available.
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