Will he be OK? 

      It was obvious from the beginning that something was wrong.  As the foster parent was carefully examining the six newborn kittens, she immediately knew that something was wrong.  The tiny orange kitten appeared to be missing a part of his leg.  If that wasn’t enough, his front feet didn’t look right either.  This was very scary and looked like a serious medical condition.

      The foster parent contacted the Center’s veterinarian right away and the mom cat and her kittens were brought in.  The orange kitten seemed to be nursing well and after thorough examination, it was decided to wait and monitor his development.  He grew along with all his siblings and played and wrestled too.  He seemed to not realize he was different.  He got around with his short leg fairly well and enjoyed all the things kittens do.  So far, so good, as there did not seem to be any stunted development or pain issues.

      He was examined frequently to make sure that no other issues developed.  The Center waited a little longer than normal to alter him, so he stayed in his foster home for a few more weeks than his siblings.  His personality by this time could be seen.  Our little “Twist” was a little shy and could be a bit worried about new situations, but he was as sweet as they come. 

      When the Center altered Twist, we also needed to remove two toes of his back right foot and his left leg up to his hock.  Twist’s front feet were a little deformed but did not require any surgery.  He recovered well and soon became available.  We kept him in a quiet area so he would not be scared but soon he was using all the levels of his cage and exploring his new temporary home.

      We knew that with his medical issues, it might take a little more time than most cases for Twist to be adopted.  However, his forever family came in the very next day.  They fell in love with his gentle spirit and were very willing to take whatever time was necessary to help him adapt.  And what was even better, they adopted another kitten at the same time so Twist could have a friend! 

      We have heard that Twist and his family are all doing well.  The kittens are friends and are busy getting into typical kitten mischief.  Knowing that we were able to help this special kitten find a loving family is something we will always remember!