Nessie came to us from North Carolina from a family who noticed a resident feral mom had a special kitten in her litter and could tell she was going to be more than they knew how to care for. Bringing her to a shelter would mean she was more likely to be euthanized than rescued. So they reached out to the CGMFF. Upon presentation she had severe hip dysplasia (where the hind limbs simply flop out of the hip socket) and no feeling in her legs from the knees down. She was also incontinent and needed help using the bathroom by manual expression. We had another diaper baby on our hands! Was this a congenital problem? It could be. Was this an injury she sustained earlier when she was born? That is always a possibility too. If it was a spinal injury she was far out of the window to be treated for complete recovery.
She was called “Sassy” due to her mild attitude, but after a few days of being doted on, cleaned and cared for, she became a cuddlebug with a delightful personality. It was also the month of May where artists around the globe challenged each other to draw mermaids, and she clearly looked like one the way her legs flopped about. Instead of giving her a cute, typical, mermaid name, why not name her something a bit more magical? So we named her after the Loch Ness Monster, or “Nessie” for short.
With legs that drag behind we had some custom mermaid suits made for her to protect her legs while she scoots about. If you have a special needs baby that needs a custom diaper, check out https://www.scrappysnappies.com/ . We have been more than pleased with the quality of their product and the dedication of creating amazing diaper and leg covers by the owner, Jennifer.
Nessie heads out to California in July when she is cleared by the airline to allow her to legally fly and when we have fulfilled many of our foundation obligations of care. She is going to a family that has other special needs cats just like her.
If your local shelter or rescues have these special cats, consider adopting one. Yes, they may take a bit more time to get used to a schedule, require more care than scooping a box, and may need to see the vet more often. But they make up for this with the amount of pure joy and love they give back. Don’t be afraid to adopt a “Scratch N’ Dent!” You can buff out many of the dings to provide them with a fantastic quality of life.