Written by Lynette Nicholson – Founder of Nicholson Rescues
Professional photography by Strike a Pose Photography
The small tortoiseshell cat with kittenish eyes and malformed legs caught everyone’s attention.
A few weeks ago, I was made aware of a special needs kitty of about a year old who had been living in unsuitable circumstances. This young cat was removed from the situation by some wonderful ladies in rescue. The first picture of Lilo really tugged at my heartstrings, and we offered to take her in.
Retreating to a safe space
I was warned by the ladies that rescued her that she was hissing and spitting and would not let anyone near her. Lilo arrived, and we put her in a safe space. We didn’t even take her out of her carrier because she was so feisty. I noticed, though, that she did not seem to be able to see.
She stayed in her carrier for two days but did eat and drink. She was unfamiliar with her surroundings, and her carrier was her safe space. Lilo also has malformed front legs but is able to walk. I then started touching her just on the top of her head. I did that for a day or two and then slowly went down to her neck and then a little bit more every day. Lilo started to relax.
Worse was to come…
Her rescuers had mentioned that her tummy was quite round, and I noticed it too. I then noticed that her nipples were quite pink, and I was convinced she was pregnant. We needed to get her checked by a vet ASAP, especially in light of her special needs.
Due to Lilo’s lack of sight and her discomfort when in an environment that she was not familiar with, I asked my vet if they could do a home visit. My wonderful vet agreed and came to see Lilo. It was confirmed that Lilo was pregnant – a potential disaster in her case.
The good news was that Lilo’s heart was strong. This was important as she would need to go under anaesthetic to be sterilised, and she was soon booked in for surgery.
On the morning of her sterilisation, my vet prepared the theatre and called me when everything was set up. We did not want Lilo waiting in a holding cage to go into theatre, which would just have stressed her. Once the theatre was ready, I took Lilo in, and she went into theatre immediately. All went well, and she came home later that afternoon.
She started purring
Lilo was so much happier not being pregnant. She was more active and much more interactive. Since then, she has progressed so much. She loves people and loves attention. She loves her food and enjoys lazing in the sun. She started purring after about a week with us and is now meowing. We were worried about her hearing, but she can definitely hear us.
Lilo will remain an important and much-loved member of our family. We are very blessed to have her, and it has been a privilege to see her progress.
