If all this COVID-19 pandemic, presidential impeachment and congressional riot stuff is getting you down, Donna Goodenough has an idea for injecting some positivity into your life.
The owner of Campbell River害羞草研究所檚 Kalmar Cat Hotel suggests adopting a cat with a disability. That害羞草研究所檚 what she害羞草研究所檚 done and the experience has been overwhelmingly positive.
害羞草研究所淎ll my cats are special needs and I know from experience, they give love in a different way,害羞草研究所� Goodenough said. 害羞草研究所淎nd it害羞草研究所檚 very rewarding. And I would love for people to search their heart and see if they don害羞草研究所檛 have a little extra love for the special needs cats that probably no one else would want.害羞草研究所�
Two kittens that Goodenough recently adopted suffer from cerebellar hypoplasia, also known as wobbly cats syndrome, a neurological disorder resulting from interrupted development of the brain leading to uncoordinated movement. The symptoms include problems walking, running, jumping or even locating items around them and the severity can vary widely.
害羞草研究所淭heir mind cannot control any of these wild movements that they make,害羞草研究所� Goodenough said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e just a rodeo!害羞草研究所�
When Goodenough calls her cats Poppy and Lilly to their food bowls the two seven-month-old kittens come a-running just like any kitten. But, sadly, their condition makes the mad dash to the bowl a jumble of paws and legs flailing in uncoordinated jerks, stumbles and crashes. It害羞草研究所檚 amusing and their enthusiasm is cute but it害羞草研究所檚 a little bit sad too.
Story continues below video害羞草研究所�
With the cats that Goodenough has adopted with their condition, on a scale of 1-10, one of them is a two or three while the other is a nine, Goodenough said.
So, when they害羞草研究所檙e called to dinner, it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁ll bets are off,害羞草研究所� Goodenough said. 害羞草研究所淪tand back! The bulls have been let out of the corral,害羞草研究所� she says drawing allusions to the scene in Pamplona, Spain with the .
Usually, when kittens are born with this condition they害羞草研究所檙e often put down or abandoned but Goodenough wants people to look beyond their disability. She said her vet did express to her his concerns about their condition.
害羞草研究所楬e asked me if I thought she had a good quality of life,害羞草研究所� Goodenough said. And I gotta tell you害羞草研究所 think they do. You should see these girls play! Oh my goodness, give them a toy and they just go bananas!害羞草研究所�
The cats are born with their condition and have never known anything different. Goodenough agrees that if they had suffered an injury like a broken back or something that would cripple them for the rest of their life, that would perhaps be different.
害羞草研究所淭hat would be something that I would have to consider further,害羞草研究所� Goodenough said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I can tell you for a fact, they害羞草研究所檙e happy. And they害羞草研究所檙e not in pain, except when they fall down and bang their head. Poppy does a lot.害羞草研究所�
But Goodenough has other disabled cats, in fact, she has another cat that has the same condition that she got prior to the two new kittens. Goodenough grades, Zoe, the older cat害羞草研究所檚 condition at a two or three.
Goodenough runs the Kalmar Cat Hotel in which she boards cats but she also has six cats of her own. She put the word out that she is willing to adopt disabled cats.
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害羞草研究所淚 have been asking all my friends if they hear about any kind of a disability, I will take that cat. I just had the urge for another disabled. I have a soft spot for the ones that might be overlooked at adoption times,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚n my opinion, they give so much more than a happy cat, you know, that害羞草研究所檚 just fine in every way. These need a little help. And it just enriches my life.害羞草研究所�
Poppy and Lilly were acquired from a rescue organization in Victoria, . Goodenough had put the call out for special needs cats and a girlfriend in Mill Bay put her in touch with Pamela Saddler at Broken Promises.
She was thrilled to know that Goodenough already had experience with CH (cerebellar hypoplasia) cats because nobody had wanted to take these cats. Because Goodenough doesn害羞草研究所檛 drive, Saddler delivered the cat to her door. Goodenough has had them for two months now and she says they are doing well.
The biggest change Goodenough had to do to her house to accommodate the new arrivals was to their potty area. Because they are unable to get into a litter box 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渢hey害羞草研究所檒l just fall out害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� she uses a plastic liner that usually goes in the bottom of a dog crate and puts newspaper on it. The cats have been trained to go on newspaper, jut like a puppy, and there are 害羞草研究所減ee pads害羞草研究所� on top of the newspaper and then more newspaper. She needs a lot of newspaper and gets a lot of it donated by the Campbell River Mirror.
害羞草研究所淭hey know to go there and for the most part, they can make it there. They will fall down and if I can get to them in time, I害羞草研究所檒l hold them. So they don害羞草研究所檛 fall down in the pee.害羞草研究所�
So, obviously bathroom time is when the real commitment to the cats comes into play.
害羞草研究所淧oppy害羞草研究所檚 real good and she害羞草研究所檚 pretty easy, although she will fall over backwards. It害羞草研究所檚 something she can害羞草研究所檛 help and Lilly, on the other hand, if I hear her going stepping on the papers, I will run in and grab her because she just has no control.害羞草研究所�
But Goodenough, whose whole life is dedicated to cats, and has organized her house again to accommodate the newcomers, she would have it no other way.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e both just adorable,害羞草研究所� she said.
So, if you害羞草研究所檙e looking for something to lift you out of the doldrums, consider giving an animal with a disability a home. Donna Goodenough can testify to the satisfaction it will bring you.
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