Thumbalina's Story and Pictures |
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Guestbook Jump to the pictures of Thumbelina Thumbelina's StoryThumbelina came to my attention through a friend who saw a "free kitten" ad posted on the bullitan board in the nursing home she works at. Barbara grabbed the ad, as very few of her co-workers were responsible cat owners. We called the legally blind elderly woman who posted the ad, and told her we wanted to "adopt" her kittens. She told us she had a tiny one she would part with named Thumbelina. She also said she had something wrong with her legs! I agreed instantly to take the tiny baby. She was severely stunted for her age, and had moderately deformed legs. I took her home and noticed though she wanted to eat, everything she ate was violently regurgitated! A visit to the vet the next day determined she had a condition called " megaesophagus" and also a severe heart murmer.The vet advised many small meals syringe fed ove the course of the day, and for her to be held upright for ten minutes afterward. I fed her A.D food mixed with dry kitten formula, and agonized for days over whether or not to euthanize her. I fell head over heals in love with the tiny girl, and we decided to let Mother Nature decide her future! Thankfully after a few months , and a lot of money, her reguritating became less pronounced. I started to wean her off of the mushy diet and onto the canned. it worked. She can now eat regular ground cat food, and has grown quite well now. She is very active and loving and gets into everything! But I cannot spay her due to her severe heart murmer, and I wake up each morning wondering if my precious "Dolly" will still be with me! Morning nose rubs tell me yes, but I know the day might come when her heart goes, and with it will go mine! Barbara and I have kept in touch with the elderly woman Bertha, who has told us another litter was born in her home. One of the kittens had twisted legs, and she promised we could have him. she also told us of others over the years, handed out to anyone who would take them. She had heard a few had died, and who knows what became of the rest! We saw to it first of, that the resident tom cat was nuetered right away! He was allowed in and out, and we suspected he carried the gene for radial hypoplasia. And the three non lactating females were spayed through our group. It was a while before she parted with Timothy. Bertha's husband was dying in the nursing home, and her cats were her comfort through it all, but also in danger of injury due to her inability to see. She insisted on keeping one of the three kittens left, and we conceded. For more information on Radial Hypoplasia visit http://thorin.adnc.com/~richlin Pictures of Thumbelina
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