Written By: Humane Pennsylvania Animal Care Technician, Linne Ortiz
Working at HPA for the past 6 years, I have come across many cats – young, old, sick, or disabled. I’ve always had this thing for senior cats or “crunchy cats” as I like to call them. Having two of my crunchy cats pass away this year at 19 and 20 years old, I decided to adopt a few new additions to join my fur family – all being disabled, needing hospice, or having specific medical needs.
Back in February, I came across a kitten with severe CH or the wobbly cat syndrome. She was brought in due to her health. She came in spicy! She was very scared and swatted at anyone who got near her. She couldn’t walk. She could only crawl. I immediately fell in love with her so I took her home. Admittedly, I was a bit worried about how she would adapt at home. How will she get around? How will she use the litter box? How will she get to her food and water? It’s been exactly one year and she is the happiest cat ever. We named her Wasabi, the spicy kitten.
In July I was introduced to Willie, an 8-year-old munchkin with chronic constipation and a chronic respiratory
infection among other things. After her vet check, it was recommended to adopt her out as hospice care. I decided to adopt her knowing I might not have her for long. Sadly, she passed away four months later, but I made sure she spent the last few months of her life happy and loved.
One September morning a cat was abandoned at the shelter. We scanned the cat and found out she was adopted from our organization 15 years ago. She was frail and extremely underweight. Her name was Rapunzel but I called her Princess Thumbs because she was a polydactyl cat. After getting her blood work done it turned out that she had hyperthyroidism and needed to be on medication and a special diet. After doing some research about the disease, I adopted her. I was not sure of the outcome since she was so thin and I had no idea how long she was in this condition but I was determined to try. Unfortunately, her illness was too far gone, but she did give me two wonderful weeks. She was truly an amazing cat. I miss you, my crunchy princess.
In October I got a message from one of the staff members at the Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving that a 15-year-old tripod cat was
surrendered for meowing too much. Her name was Marigold. She was super sweet and did indeed “talk” a lot, which made me love her even more. After getting blood work done for her, results showed that she had hyperthyroidism. I was a little nervous because I was worried I would lose her too. I still decided to adopt her and give her a chance. Well, she is now a happy cat that “talks too much” if her bowl is empty. She will hop after you like a rabbit making sure you hear her loud and clear.
During our annual 12 Days of Adoptions event during the holidays, the majority of the cats at the shelter were finding homes. There was one cat I was hoping would find her furever home since she had been overlooked for 8 months. Her name was Karma, an adorable Orange and white cat with the cutest “RBF” squishy face. Karma had a few medical issues. She was FIV+, had an old ankle injury that made her limp, and experienced bladder issues which would require a special diet and medication for life. When Christmas Eve and the last day of the adoption special arrived, I told Karma “It’s time to go home”. It’s been two months since she came home and I’m so happy I made that decision. Her health has since improved and she couldn’t be happier in her new home.
Choosing to welcome a specially-abled cat into your home is a rewarding, yet challenging decision. It is a huge commitment that will take up a lot of your free time. It can be costly and will test your emotions. Some will require extra attention, medication, special diets, and more. However, although it does take extra effort, they too deserve a second chance to live a happy and fulfilling life.
