Courageous Kitten Battles Against Toxoplasmosis And Finds Home Sweet Home
It’s no secret that every cat enthusiast loves a good feline rescue story where the kitty in question gets her well-deserved happy ending.
The feline hero of today’s story had a pretty rough start but managed to survive every obstacle cruel life threw at her.
Meet Cheeky, the tortie kitten who survived toxoplasmosis with a little help from her foster moms, and ended up finding her forever home.
Laura and Cassidy welcomed Cheeky and her two orange siblings into their lives one sunny August day.
This mother-daughter duo from Portland, Oregon are big foster enthusiasts who gladly accepted the offer from the Cat Adoption Team to take in three adorable kittens known as “The Brit Kits.”
Cheeky, Moppet, and Chippy were just two weeks old at the time and called for round-the-clock attention. They needed to be bottle-fed every two to three hours and required treatments for their crusty eyes and flea-covered bodies.
In the beginning, all three kittens struggled to latch onto the bottle, but pretty soon they figured it all out.
As the weeks passed, the kittens grew stronger and more playful. Pretty soon, they were on their little paws, running around their home, playing with each other, and meowing their little hearts out.
At four weeks old, The Brit Kits seemed to be doing great, until Laura and Cassidy noticed something was wrong with Cheeky.
Cheeky’s Misfortune
Besides being much smaller than her siblings, her foster moms soon noticed that Cheeky had trouble walking and standing on her own.
Suspecting she had Toxoplasmosis, they rushed her to the vet where she was thoroughly examined.
Unfortunately, their assumptions proved to be true: Cheeky tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, which meant she needed special medical treatment along with extra love and care.
Cheeky tried two different antibiotics which she had to take twice a day for four weeks. She was very weak and unable to walk on her own.
Her foster moms were worried that Toxoplasmosis might leave permanent neurological damage. They wanted nothing more but for their little tortie to get better. As Cassidy wrote on her Instagram:
“She’s so tiny, weighing only 266 grams at 5 weeks old. It would be so amazing if she is able to walk again & can rejoin her siblings. We miss her tortitude!”
Fortunately, Cheeky’s condition improved with the new antibiotics. In a matter of days, Cheeky was reunited with her siblings, able to keep up with their feisty kitten rhythm.
With her siblings by her side, there was no way Cheeky wasn’t going to get better. It’s amazing how wonderful and healing siblings’ love can be!
All’s Well That Ends Well
Since Moppet and Chippy were twice Cheeky’s size and feeling exceptionally good, the time for them to meet their new forever humans came sooner than it did for Cheeky.
Two days after they were spayed, neutered, and vaccinated, they were introduced to their new adopters from Portland who graciously bestowed them with brand-new Swahili names.
Chippy became Tangawizi, which means ginger, and Moppet Manjano, which means turmeric.
Even though her siblings got adopted, Cheeky wasn’t feeling abandoned. Thankfully, she had Uncle Louie, a gentle Cocker Spaniel who adored kittens, to keep her company and help her grow stronger day by day.
However, the day to say her goodbyes finally came!
In October, Cheeky met her new family and was officially adopted! She became a part of a cat-loving home and soon realized she had two older siblings, Snowball and Kissy.
She moved to Washington as a happy and healthy feline, ready for any new and exciting adventures life threw at her.
This heartwarming story highlights the dedication of Laura and Cassidy, who selflessly help kittens like Cheeky find the loving homes they deserve. Their compassion serves as an inspiration to all of us.
https://happywhisker.com/kitten-defies-toxoplasmosis-and-finds-home/
