Kitty Cat Kate

Paralyzed kitten Kate

October 29, 2009 -

Michelle T. – PetSmart Charities, Inc.

My cat, Kate, is spoiled, but for good reason. I got Kate on my 19th birthday, during the summer after my freshman year of college. She was born in May under a shed, where two mother cats had litters about a week apart. Kate was part of a litter of four, and there were three long-haired kittens in the older litter.

On my birthday, I had to lure Kate out from under the shed with some wet cat food. She was only as big as my hand. I drove her home and we set her up in a little box with some food and water. And then Kate’s life changed.

My sister’s cat was sniffing around the box; we were watching him carefully, letting him get to know Kate. Suddenly, he grabbed Kate and shook her. We pulled him away and he dropped Kate, but the damage was done. She was having uncontrollable seizures. It took us awhile to find an emergency vet open on a Sunday, and Kate continued to have seizures during the whole drive there.

When we got the vet, he told us that he had given her an injection to stop the swelling on her brain, but he had no way of knowing if she had brain damage or if she would even make it through the night. We left her there and went back the next day, where they gave us the grim news: Kate was paralyzed. The doctor urged us to put Kate to sleep, reasoning that we couldn’t take care of a paralyzed kitten who couldn’t control her bladder and would have to be spoon fed. We refused. We hoped for a miracle. We took her home. She was a tiny little limp kitten, but she was so smart. Her eyes would follow us and she would meow loudly to wake us up in the middle of the night if she had soiled her blankets. My mom took her to work and I slept with her on my chest (a bad idea with a kitten who can’t control her bladder). We bathed her and kept her in a little tub with a hot water bottle under her. Pretty soon, we had taught her to flip over by teaching her to kick her good leg. She ate her wet food off a Baskin-Robbins sample spoon and could move her paw to bat at a toy.

Kate did learn to walk again, but her right side was permanently damaged. She has what I call a "swagger," and she can’t jump on high things or scratch, but she can do everything else. She runs (she looks like a bunny hopping), navigates stairs and uses a litter box perfectly. She is a miracle cat, and she can have whatever she wants (she really enjoys a little sour cream). This past June, we celebrated our 12th anniversary together. She has definitely added more to my life than I thought a little tabby cat ever could, including teaching me about perseverance and determination. I think that entitles her to be a little spoiled.