They were all so cold and little 💔
In a heartwarming tale of survival and resilience, a young man walking along train tracks in Covington, Kentucky, stumbled upon a taped-up box that would change the lives of five vulnerable beings. This serendipitous encounter took place in early December as the young man headed to the Life Learning Center, where he noticed a box sitting on the tracks, sealed shut with tape. Fueled by concern, he hastily opened it, revealing a heart-wrenching sight – five kittens, cold and tiny, huddled together.
These precious felines, estimated to be around 5 to 6 weeks old, were immediately in need of rescue. A staff member at The Learning Center posted their plight on a local Facebook page, reaching out for assistance. The call for help resonated with Stray Haven Pet Rescue, and the kittens were swiftly placed in a foster home.
However, as they began to settle into their new environment, the foster mom detected something amiss. Concerned, she reached out to Shelly Conner, the volunteer cat coordinator at Stray Haven, sharing videos that hinted at potential neurological issues. Conner recognized the symptoms of cerebellar hyperplasia (CH), often known as wobbly cat syndrome. Four out of the five kittens exhibited signs of CH, a condition that can result from the mother cat contracting panleukopenia (kitty parvo) during pregnancy, altering the formation of the kitten’s cerebellum.
Having experience working with CH kittens, Conner volunteered to care for them, and they have been under her watchful eye ever since. The kittens, aptly named Rocky Road, Cherry Garcia, Pistachio, Sherbet, and Chunky Monkey (the only one without CH), embarked on a journey of recovery and growth.
Initially facing challenges like loose stools and difficulty standing, the kittens made remarkable progress over the weeks. From being unable to stand to gaining stability on all four legs, they overcame adversities with resilience. In just five weeks, they transitioned from dependence to independence, mastering skills like drinking on their own and using the litter box.
Despite their unique condition, these playful kittens remain blissfully unaware of any differences, embracing life with the same curiosity and enthusiasm as their healthy counterparts. Stray Haven aims to place them with families experienced in dealing with CH, ensuring a supportive and understanding environment. The kittens, once abandoned and left to an uncertain fate on train tracks, now stand as symbols of triumph, with their entire lives ahead of them.
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