Lifeguard Mel Lamprey celebrated Tulip’s first birthday, “the cutest T-Rex/kangaroo/bobblehead meerkat cat”. She is a little angel born with a condition that affects her front legs as well as a “giant personality”.
Through experience, Lamprey knows that this little flower can have a happy and fulfilling life with the right care. At first, rescuers believed the kitten had radial hypoplasia. Cats with this condition may have underdeveloped legs that prevent them from fully moving.
But they manage to walk normally, sometimes standing upright like kangaroos! Tulip goes to a foster home. Photos and media have successfully treated another kitten named Quill’s leg with a variety of therapies. So she prepared immediately to do the same for this little one.
“Outdoor therapy breaks, standing and balancing exercises. Well done, Tulip!”
Tulip’s X-ray showed she had radial aplasia, compared with radial hypoplasia. So she completely lacks her radius on both front legs. In the case of radial hypoplasia, the bone is still there but twisted, if we get to the kitten in time, we can usually get the leg into a good position through splinting and therapy. In Radial Aplasia, not much can be done but therapies aimed at strengthening the body to support the way the cat will ‘walk.’
A risky sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ has been ruled out, however, she can still have a happy life. Her therapy will be lots of toys to play with, exercise and lots of love. She doesn’t know she’s different and believes she’s a fast-moving leopard. She became “terribly good”, stood on her hind legs and developed incredible core strength.
Tulip will live her life imperfectly, an energetic and cheerful little girl who doesn’t know she’s different and approaches life with total excitement and curiosity.
We just love her and know that we’ll find her perfect forever home when she’s ready.
Then one happy day, Tulip found her at home forever, and her new mother cried with joy to adopt her. She is about to turn a year old. Now, she will continue to have everything she needs and a kitten to play with. It hurts to say goodbye to Mel and Zane. But because they care about her, she will live her best life, and rescuers can continue to save special needs cats who wouldn’t be able to survive without them.
Tulip is doing great in her new home.
Congratulations Tulip and her new mom on their life together! We are so lucky to have been able to love the perfect little princess Tulip