I thought I would last longer after Zander left us. But the house, which seems impossible with the crew that lives here, felt so empty. The final straw was when I had a friend over for lunch on Wednesday and her first comment was, “Wow, you can really feel he’s gone.”
So she and I spent our lunch hour haunting the local shelter. We almost drove the hour to the shelter where Gabe, Sully, and Willow came from, but resisted. The happy part? There are very few cats available across three counties, so YAY!
I saw a few at our local shelter that could have been fine. But, I felt I could wait and there didn’t seem to be a good fit (thinking of what Willow and Sully needed) or any rush.
Thursday, I checked the website again, and five kittens were available. Since I have a strict NO KITTEN! rule, I felt safe giving them a look. That was a mistake because I saw this face and there was a Zing! and that thought of, “Oh, it’s this one.” That’s how the cat distribution system works for me, there are many who would be fine, but then there is that bang! and I know which one should come home with me.
Meet Reggie – Réginald Henri. He needed a fancy name to go with his fancy tuxedo and that was bigger than he’ll ever be.
Now, I was still resisting, (NO KITTENS!) but I went to meet him…and then found out he had a mild case of Manx Syndrome. Which sounds scary and can be, but his case is just his back legs aren’t quite getting all the signals they need from his underdeveloped spine, so he hops like a bunny.
I sat on the floor with him, he hopped over, climbed in my lap, curled up and purred. And who could resist that beauty mark? You know what happened next.
Manx Syndrome can be pretty serious, including having no control over bladder and bowels. But his neurological exam shows he just has a mild case. And his foster parents did recommended therapy, the vets did some acupuncture which showed some improvement, so I may continue that with my vet. But even over the last 24 hour, scrambling around my office I can see he’s building up muscle. His right leg is a bit more affected than his left and occasionally slips out from under him. He’ll always hop, but he will get stronger. He and Jasper can hop around the house together (Jasper has that slightly deformed right hind leg from birth).
For now it doesn’t slow him down, he runs around, jumps and climbs like any other kitten. But he is super tiny, about a pound less than an average 10-week-old and he’ll stay small. Part of that is an issue with bad breeding. But otherwise should stay healthy. He’s passed the markers of bowel and bladder control and should only get stronger. Just have to keep an eye on constipation, because he may not have as much strength as an average cat.
He’s feisty as hell and reminds me of my calico Emma when she was a kitten, giving the Danes hell, so they know he might be tiny but they best not mess with him. We’ve only done brief meets, he spends most of his time in my office, but I do bring him out to sit in my lap while I work on the computer at the table, so he can see everyone without interacting directly. It will be a slow and careful intro – there is a large gap at the bottom of the office door, so Sully and Willow can growl and hiss at him, and he growls and hisses back.
I am in no way prepared for a kitten. It’s been 20+ years since I had kittens in the house – when I fostered Missy and her five babies and Jake ended up staying. I have nothing for kittens. Willow was 8 months old, but she was never wild and crazy and it was hard to remember she was just a baby. So there was an emergency run to get kitten food, kitten litterbox, kitten toys. I really was not expecting this little guy.
Anyway, that’s how I broke my NO KITTENS! rule.
This an open thread I’m off to continue watching the Nuggets.
War for Ukraine Day 795: Russia Launched 34 Missiles Against Ukraine Last Night/This Morning
HumboldtBlue
Welp, that settles it, I now have diabeetus.
WaterGirl
Welcome home, Reggie! So adorable.
You apparently have your own drawer, so now you know it’s home.
jackmac
Just adorable!
Timill
Wotta cutie!
Of course, I would have advised never taking only one kitten, but always getting at least 2. However, what’s done is done…
Mousebumples
Congratulations, and welcome, Reggie! Such a darling. I look forward to hearing more about his adventures… 😊
Chet Murthy
@HumboldtBlue: Oof, I feel you: I got it during the pandemic lockdowns, when I wasn’t exercising and just sitting at home and eating. It’s a pisser, innit?
Doc Sardonic
@Chet Murthy: I think Humboldt may have Type 5 diabeetus. You only get that from cute kittens. If I’m wrong, mea culpa, it’s Evan William’s fault.
Dan B
Reggie is a cutie! He’s got big ears which makes me wonder if he’ll get large. Cats usually grow into the ear size.
Keith P.
I’ve got a Manx. She has a little hop, but not too pronounced…long back legs, though. And she’s a feisty one.
Ajc
No judgement on the “too soon” idea. Consider that there are so many shelter pets that need a forever home…now. Providing a safe home, love and care is the best way to grieve and honor your last fur baby.
mrmoshpotato
Holy flufftastic, Batman! 🥰
Villago Delenda Est
Ser Reggie will probably do serious damage in the pounce department. Just delightful!
bt
It’s the old joke, if you don’t want to adopt an animal, DO NOT visit an animal shelter…
NutmegAgain
Too cute for school! Now we need to see some tiny kitty-gigantic dog pix, please..
LNNVA
My Noodle is also a small tuxedo kitty. We got her from the pound when she was a few months old and about 2 pounds and has never been more than 7 pounds. I so hope that your new kitty brings you the same love and joy that our Noodle has brought us for almost 17 years now. And, I love that your Reggie has a beauty mark, as our Noodle also has one on the right side of her mouth. Also, she loves water and will drink out of your hand and likes to play fetch with her toy mouse. Noodle was our first tuxedo cat after many torties and calicos. She definitely has a personality of her own – very independent but still very loving.
danielx
Everyone deserves a charmer.
Matt McIrvin
My kitten is several years old and has become an enormous adult cat, and I haven’t figured out when she’s supposed to stop being wild and crazy.
Joey Maloney
Welcome to Réginald!
Most of my cats over my life have found me, but the zing! you describe is how I acquired Houdini, who is completely blind. I saw him in a rescue org’s post on FB and was NOT in the market for another animal but I couldn’t get his little face out of my mind and after a couple of weeks I called and he was still available – hard to place because of his blindness – and that’s how he came to join the household.
And he turned out to be quite the escape artist, hence the name. He’s constantly trying to get out of the house and out into the urban world that he is entirely unequipped to deal with, the little nitwit.
KrackenJack
Truly an irresistible cutie! Congratulations!
We had a full-sized black Manx when I was a kid. A house panther in the truest sense. Around 15 pounds of muscle.
BigJimSlade
Soooper cute!!!
Kristine
Adorable little guy!
Manyakitty
Adorable 😍
Kitten-induced exhaustion is real. Sleep when you can.
Like, you, I have succumbed to the charms of a kitten. My vet often fosters stray kittens and I’m bringing home a tiny, pointy void next week. We’re naming him Cygnus for the black hole Cygnus X1.
Gvg
I had a Manx. He was a feral that came to stay. Muscular and built like a bulldog with cat ears. Started as a runt but grew bigger than any previous cat after he was dewormed. He was originally very athletic until suddenly pinched a nerve and had a back problem. Turned out his Manx genes gave him a spinal problem that made him prone to pinches. X-ray revealed one bone was not formed right. Vet recommended we discourage jumping so we had steps for getting on the bed and couch for him and he didn’t get hurt ever again. He got diabetes when he was about 17 and we couldn’t get it under control. Very loyal weird funny cat, but he didn’t sleep with me because he avoided being bumped or jarred. Would sit with me when I was awake, but as soon as I turned off the light, he moved to the chair.
Msb
Congratulations to you and Reggie!
TBone
❤️ d’ awwww
I’m glad for both of you, happy kittenhood!
Chris T.
@Timill:
One can always add one more…
Chris T.
@Doc Sardonic:
I already have T2, does that mean I now have T7?
MagdaInBlack
Oh my, that’s a little heart thief. Of course you brought him home 🙂❤️
Tinare
Congrats! He’s a beauty!
Uncle Cosmo
“The happy part? There are very few cats available across three counties, so YAY!”
Not to harsh your mellow, but…you might want to establish the proliferation of Chinese restaurants in those three counties, and the prevalence of feral carnivores with a taste for kitteh, before celebrating too much. It’s not likely all those missing felines are living their best lives outside the shelters.
TaMara
@Uncle Cosmo
Racist much?
DFH
Never heard of Manx syndrome, but your post did raise a flood of memories and a bit of eye water. I had a black cat who was half-Manx. His name was Oliver, or Ollie Bear. He purred so hard he drooled. Just a love of a being. Loved being held, loved being on my lap, a truly happy cat. Had a stub of a black tail, and long back legs, like a jacked-up ’57 Chevy is what we said. And yeah, kittens are hard but they grow so fast, as you know. My three are all seven years old this June.
way2blue
I’m smitten. Bienvenu Réginald. Years ago now, we adopted a feral cat, White Chops, who looks a lot like you. I met him at Thanksgiving, when he & his siblings walked from lap to lap during our meal…
Gloria DryGarden
Will you post a picture of how teeny tiny he is? I had a big bossy black and white long hair cat who came to us as a rambunctious kitten. It’s still a sweet shock to recall how he used to fit in my hand, or curl up at the top of my thighs when I laid on the floor ( I was a kid). Later in life he was 10-12 lbs.
DEBG
Nobody could have resisted that little love bug. You had no choice. Welcome, little Reggie! You chose the right mom.
Mel
Congratulations!! He is darling, and the universe placed him in the loving family he needs and the place where he is needed and wanted. I can’t wait to see pics of Reggie and his new sibs!!!
Our late Pixie had megacolon, which can cause some pretty scary constipation, but we were able to easily manage it with a daily kitty dose of Miralax and extra wet food. A few times over the years, she required a poop scoop-out at the vet, but she was generally symptom-free with her maintenance regimen for 12 wonderful years, until cancer stole her from us.
If it occurs, a little constipation will likely be very manageable b/c of the loving care that Reggie will have from you and your vet.
I am so happy for you and for sweet little Reggie!!
TaMara
@Mel: That’s great information! Thanks!
Mel
@TaMara: Her Miralax dose was 1/4 tsp., and we would just mix it in with some wet food or some Gerber ham baby food. She happily gobbled it up, and it kept her regular.
We also gave her at least one can of wet food each day, with about a tsp. of extra water mixed in just to ensure that things moved smoothly. A bonus was that the extra fluids were good for kitty kidney health.
That easy regimen worked really well for her, and our vet assured us that there were stronger prescription kitty laxatives available if she should ever need them.
Whenever she had a procedure like tooth cleaning that might inhibit her desire to drink , I would give her some subq fluids at home – easy to do, and prevented any dehydration related constipation. We just kept a bag and accessories on hand, in case we needed them, and in years that we didn’t use them, we’d just pitch the expiring bag and pick up a new one to keep on hand in case.
Hopefully Reggie will be great without needing any laxative, and based upon what the vets assessed, it seems like any help he might possibly need medication-wise would be easy like Pixie’s, and that he will be a joyous, frisky, healthy little guy!
Mel
Also, Reggie’s beauty mark is the cutest thing ever! What an angel face he has!
Pink Tie
So cute! Congratulations all! We have an evil kitty who’s a rare orange girl. She terrorizes her big brothers but they have an adorable family dynamic. Tux cats are so handsome.
Pink Tie
@Mel: subq fluids are so hard and heartbreaking. we had two cats with kidney disease, and our one sweet guy finally stopped struggling when i had to give him the saline solution. i remember the day that we decided it was no longer a kind thing to do for him. the joy of having a kitten *almost* offsets the deep grief when they go. but I’m team kitten!