CH KITTY CLUB NEWSLETTER

New Family Member

.......Toddie

Our Special Little Girl

by Catherine Dickson

Toddie, my five-month-old orange tabby, was born in a feral cat colony that settled at my grandparents' farm this past winter. My grandparents felt sorry for the skinny,unwanted cats and began to regularly feed them. In April and May, a few litters of kittens were born in the barn. Toddie was one of the new arrivals, and once she began to walk and play with her littermates, it was obvious to my grandparents that she had some kind of impairment. She could not keep her balance when she walked around the yard and constantly leaned sideways or fell over. Toddie also had trouble eating dry and canned food after she was weaned. She rapidly pecked at the food like a bird and was unable to keep much food in her mouth or swallow it well.

When she was about eight weeks old, I visited the farm with hopes of trapping some of the adult cats to get them spayed or neutered and vaccinated at the Humane Society. The first thing my grandmother wanted to do was show me her "special kittens." Toddie was one of the special kittens because she was so wobbly yet determined to play and act like a normal kitten. Toddie continuously toddled around chasing her brothers and sisters, even though she fell over a lot in the process. She had amazingly learned to climb the stairs of the porch like her littermates and often played with them on it. At mealtime, she stayed at the food bowl longer to make sure she got enough to eat, even though all the other kittens finished long before her. What an amazing, inspiring little kitten! She was definitely a role model in determination and resilience. She had a very attentive, protective mother who never strayed more than a few feet away from her. I was so thankful for this devoted mother because she had kept Toddie safe from harm.

Instead of leaving that day with a couple of adult cats, I left with three kittens. One of them was the wonder kitten Toddie. I took her to a veterinary hospital to see why she had so many motor problems. I was also concerned because she was skinnier than the other kittens and had conjunctivitis in one eye. The other two kittens I brought with me had upper respiratory infections, which I also wanted to get treated. Two veterinarians at the hospital thought Toddie had a deformed skull and a brain injury. They had no idea if she had a good or bad prognosis. I was so worried about her! Thankfully, all three kittens were FeLV/FIV/Heartworm negative and soon recovered from their eye and respiratory infections at my home. My sister named them Curious George, Bobbie, and Toddie. Toddie was given her name because she reminded my sister of an uncoordinated toddler learning to walk. I hoped to find all of them homes. George left us first and settled at a new home in Rock Hill, SC, where he is a very loved, very healthy little boy. After George left, my family and I quickly decided that we could not part with little Toddie and embraced her as our precious new family member. We also decided to keep little Bobbie because she and Toddie had become close, sweet companions.

In early October, I took Toddie to a third veterinarian to get yet another opinion. This time Toddie had a diagnosis-cerebellar hypoplasia-as well as a very good prognosis. The vet also said Toddie had a normal skull and was very healthy. Finally, some wonderful news for little Toddie! I had never heard of CH, but I quickly learned all about it and joined the CH Kitty Club. I am so glad that there are other special, inspiring kitties like Toddie. They are all sweet blessings! In the past few months, Toddie has more than doubled her weight and has gained more strength. Now she is less wobbly and much more active. She can walk without falling over and has gotten much better at running, eating, and drinking. She also loves to jump up and pounce, but she usually falls on her side soon after. Toddie quickly learned that she has much more control over her paws, limbs, and mouth when she plays with her toys or Bobbie while lying on her side. She has a favorite blue fish toy that she has been obsessed with for almost three months. No other toy excites her as much as the blue fish. Toddie has no idea that she has an impairment and believes she is a normal kitten like Bobbie. She is just as playful and active as Bobbie, and they have become very best friends. They love to sunbathe and nap together on a window perch during the day. They are so sweet together!

Toddie is a very special, beautiful kitten, and I am so grateful to have her. She has a very sweet temperament and loves to be held and petted all day long. When we pick her up, she goes completely limp and soon falls asleep purring very loudly. She is adorable!
Everybody who meets her falls in love with her overwhelming cuteness. She is very special for having CH but also because she is one of the few orange girls in the cat world. My family and I love her and Bobbie so much, and we are so excited to share this story with everyone. Toddie inspires and encourages us every day!