Pet Patients Helen: The ultimate holiday kitten

I must be a blind kitten magnet. Remember the one from the Starbuck’s parking lot? If that one was pathetic, this one’s a travesty.

This little five month-old was found in one of my clients’ back yards. The black and white female was discovered hunched over and staring at the ground, pitifully reminiscent of a target…for three big dogs (who were almost unleashed in her direction before it was too late).

Rescued in the nick of time, this kitten was obviously damaged—as in, brain damaged. Though her pupils were reacting to light somewhat appropriately, it was clear that nothing was registering in her little brain. And blindness was just the tip of the iceberg. She couldn’t walk, hear, drink or eat. So the kids named her Helen (as in Keller).

Now, this “miracle worker” has a new charity case on her hands. Helen’s been relinquished to my care.

You may think me quite an idiot to take on a cat that should probably be euthanized. But Helen’s made progress in the week she’s been with me. She can eat, drink, slink around, use the litterbox and purr. Sure, she mostly sits in her hunched position and does nothing for hours at a time, but she doesn’t seem painful or otherwise disturbed. In fact, it’s probably a blessing she can’t hear the barking dogs.

Now I just need to find a willing home to take on her continued recuperation and household integration. It’s true, she may never recover fully. From the steady pace of her improvement, I’ve got to assume that her condition was likely acquired subsequent to head trauma—not the result of some devastating infection or congenital abnormality. That means she could possibly reach normal catdom…or she may just plateau out at the lovable, half-witted bundle she is now.

Either way, Helen’s just another aging kitten, exemplary of all the others I’ve been hard pressed to home over the past few months. Perhaps her condition and special-needs status will lend her plight some much-needed publicity. Maybe the holidays will find someone feeling extra-generous.

In any case, Helen is a low-maintenance kitten who will no doubt leave your Christmas tree standing and its wires and baubles undigested. In fact, as long as you can handle the sight of her pathetic creeping and face-stabbing approach to food ingestion, she’s the perfect cat. So at the risk of allowing this post to devolve into a kitten adoption plea, let me just beg: Whaddaya say? Wanna kitten? I'll fly her anywhere...

November 28th, 2007

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It's too bad I don't live anywhere near Miami. I just took in one of the neighborhood strays. She walked right up to one night as I was heading into the house from work. She obviously knew a sucker for strays when she saw one. We're keeping her indoors, and she's relegated to the extra bedroom because she hates dogs (we have three). She doesn't seem to mind, but I'd love to find her a low-key companion who also wouldn't mind being kept inside.

Jen (SLC) November 28th, 2007 11:45:00 AM

If I could take another critter in, I'd do it - Helen sounds like a sweetie that could use a lot of love. Bless you for helping her along in the first place and I do hope you can find her a loving forever home.

Cindy November 28th, 2007 12:20:00 PM

Anywhere?? Hmmm..... think Florida to South Africa might be a bit too farfor a kitty to fly! Although I do have an accquaintance who is seriously thinking about flying to California to bring back a mousebird. Because they are indigenous birds here, she can't keep one as a pet - but if she brought one from the US, it would be an exotic and could be kept!

jcat November 28th, 2007 12:24:00 PM

Helen's story makes me cry. I hope you find the perfect home for her. Thank you for saving her- I also have a brain injury, and early on in my recovery a lot of people could have given up on me but didn't. Helen's a lucky little dolly.

If I didn't have a herd of cats already, I'd take her. In fact, if you don't find the ideal home, can I be on your waiting list? I'm sure you'll have a flock of readers who want her, but I can be your emergency backup sucker.
:D

Cindy November 28th, 2007 01:17:00 PM

Hmmm... anywhere you say? Don't be so quick to offer, Dr. Patty, Ontario Canada's pretty far from Florida! My hubby just lost his kitty a few months back. She was a special needs girl, suffered from cerebellar hypoplasia. A bad case of it, unfortunately, and should probably have been euthanized, but with his care and attention learned to feed, water and clean herself and (usually) hit the litter box (mostly). She got herself tangled in a cat toy and panicked while we were out for the day and unfortunately asphyxiated.

However, we also have several large dogs and a handful of other cats. While all are very cat-friendly, probably still not the ideal situation for such a special little girl. As we say in RescueLand... there's a lid for every pot... do not dispair, she'll find her lid!

Hugs to you for having the heart to give her a second chance.

Kim November 28th, 2007 01:19:00 PM

Oh, I wish I could have her! Find a way to send her to France and I will. Helen wouldn't run in the road. My speciality is kittens still on the bottle. I lost another this week to a car. http://nightmaredogowner.blogspot.com/

Margot November 28th, 2007 02:48:00 PM

I'll start working on the hubby now, but doubt it'll do much good. My newest resident is a 4-month-old three-legged amputee kitty (my second "tripod")that initially came here as a "foster" 6 weeks ago and now will never leave. I'm wondering now how I'll keep my tree upright and decorated this year! If I cry and whine long and loud enough, maybe he'll cave; I'm not optomistic, but if it happens, you'll be flying her to PA--I'd love to have her--I have a special place in my heart for the special-needs kitties.

Shellie November 28th, 2007 03:59:00 PM

Weeellll... Looks like she'll be placed pretty easily as long as you are willing to send her out of state :D

Me- I'm looking into fostering a kitten with back leg problems, so I think I should wait and see if he needs me- versus volunteering to add more work onto my back! LOL!

Trish November 28th, 2007 06:38:00 PM

Speaking of the Starbucks kitty, you were going to post a follow up picture of her. Did I miss it?

I'm also a sucker for special needs kitties but already have 25(combination of mine,ferals and fosters) or I would take her in a heartbeat.

Patty P December 1st, 2007 02:52:00 PM

do you still have helen ? Is she still looking for a home ?

rebecca June 22nd, 2008 05:21:00 AM

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