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Reader Stories: Special Needs Cats' Stories

By , About.com Guide

Special needs cats, or "other-abled" cats often need special care, and are all the more special to their caregivers. They may have been born with special needs, contracted retroviruses such as FIV or fELv, or lost limbs through accident, cruelty, or amputation. Blind or deaf cats may have come that way at birth, through malnutrition or disease, or by other means. The one thing all special needs cats share is the fact that they can be loving, active cats, despite what we humans might call "disabilities. Read stories about other special needs cats, then share your own.

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Welington, One Eye Removed

Welington after his accident had a very good recovery. It took him about 3 months to be able to run in the apartment without hitting a wall but after his accident he became a very social cat with me …More

Fergie, Rear Leg Amputee

Fergie has stairs to climb and bounds up them. She has a special staircase so she can get up on the bed. She loves to climb up and jump down! She has adapted so well, that unless she is walking you w…More

Tiger - Missing One Eye

Tiger is a very strong spirited kitty. I don't think he realizes he is missing an eye. It has been hard to keep him from jumping up and down while he is recovering from the surgery. He doesn't unders…More

Bud - Tripod Kitty

After the first few weeks of trying to keep this busy boy calm while he healed and getting the many staples out, Bud is a normal feisty cat. He has recovered nicely and I do not think he realizes he …More

Little Bits

Lots Of Love and Patience, sometime we have to carry him up and down the steps. Eats only dry food, does not like loud noises or shadows. He has tremors when he is scared or there is a storm. Is afra…More

Izzy, Tripod Kitty

To date I have purchased 3 stairs (3 steps each) so she can easily get up on the bed, couch, and ottoman. I also moved 2 litter boxes in the house for her so she does not have to use the pet door lea…More

Rex - Chronic FLUTD

I make sure that I give him his 1000mg of vitaminC every morning before breakfast which he eats in bed. I monitor his appetite as a loss of appetite can be indicative of something going wrong, an imm…More

Olaf RIP

Since he couldn't jump, I picked him up and put him on the sofa with me. At night I put a cushion on the floor at the foot of my bed for him to sleep on. When I noticed that he wasn't eating the food…More

Punkin

Dad brought her to the house to a special needs cage away from the others and we fed her for a day before the visit to our Vet who confirmed major abuse. Ribs were broken so she needed a velvet hand …More

Peace, Love, and Harmony

The first 2 years were tough - - they were skitterish, not lap cats. I was about to adopt a 4th cat hoping for a lap cat, when 2 of my 3 crawled into my lap...that did it for me! Now, 12 yrs later, o…More

Purple: Lame in Front Legs

We use puppy wee pads so he doesn't need to jump into a litterbox, especially since we have other cats. He gets 2 potassium tablets daily. He is able to jump onto the couch and scoots around well on …More

Gingersnap, Eye Infection, FIV+ (RIP)

I gave her pedialyte daily and a/d special food from the vet and recovery food. When she wouldnt eat it was tuna or emulsified food syringed into her along with pedialyte. Every week she would get su…More

Demetri, Tripod Cat and Zoe, Almost Blind

There is no speceial care for these 2. Demetri is very independant and likes to do things on his own including climbing to the top of the cat tree. Dobe just fits in with the rest and you would never…More

Maggie, Toothless and CRF

Two times a week, Maggie needs intravenous fluids administered subcutaneously. It was scary at first, but I have learned to do this at home with no problems! She also has no teeth! They all had to be…More

Tatiana, Young FeLV Cat

Thankfully, she's in good health. I give her L-Lysine twice a day. She no longer has the heart murmur and is in good health otherwise. I give her the Lysine to keep her immune system strong, and from…More

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