Oliver Kitteh, Chloe, and Second Chances

I forgot I had an unposted followup Oliver post. For those who didn't see the earlier ones...

One of my readers-come-friends (herein named Ms. Brownlow after Oliver Twist's benefactor) took in a pregnant feral cat who, the last time she was pregnant, gave birth to all dead babies because she has distemper. Chez Brownlow, Chloe gave birth to two little ones, one of whom seemed healthy but soon died; the second of whom didn't have working back legs and showed no interest in life and living.

But he did live!

And through his adventurous spirit, and the help of his kitty and human mommies, became the walking, running, jumping big boy you see below.

If you want to read the Story of Oliver Kitteh, as told to me in emails, they're here: Chapters one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen.

One of the main points Ms. Brownlow wants to impress upon people is that if a kitty with cerebellar hypoplasia ever crosses your path, don't count them out as a great adoptee. Like any animal with a loving family, they can lead full and fun lives. 

And now, a final posting by Ms. Brownlow about Oliver teh Cat (Minion's brother from another mother.) And I promise to post more pictures of Ollie and Chloe in the future.

Oliver had tremors with a lot of head shaking, and he lurched and fell to the side sometimes. But he didn't fall so much as some CH kitties, probably because his legs were splayed out, and his belly was flat on the ground, giving him a very wide base and a lot more stability than he would have had otherwise.

 

CH kitties do adapt and manage better over time. I think, in Oliver's case, because he was born indoors and had very early intervention, he managed to have brain growth that he might not have had otherwise.  We have no way to know that for a fact, of course, but people with brain injuries form new pathways with physical therapy and can sometimes recover so well you'd never know that parts of their brain they used before had been completely destroyed.

I think Oliver had a lot of brain growth to compensate for the bits that didn't develop when they should have. Babies' brains grow a lot and I think Oliver just got lucky and the things around the apartment, and his mother's play and attention, helped him develop in such a way as to make up for his deficit. You can not tell any more that he was a CH kitty.

I think that's Oliver's personal miracle. I've had other animals who've had personal miracles. Remember your blog about how the changes in rescued animals' lives can serve as a reminder that ours can as well?

"You done good son."

Well, I've sometimes thought that, in addition to these little animals being important enough in their own right to warrant a miracle, it can also serve to remind us that we're not too insignificant to matter, that every prayer can be answered, that every one of us matters and deserves good things. And another chance.