Kitten with Special Needs Clings to Foster Dad for Love After He was Saved

Lovemeow ^ | Jul 17 18 | Amy Bojo

[vannrox]

A teeny black kitten came to a veterinary clinic, in need of foster care. He was very wobbly and extremely tiny for his age.

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

About a month ago, Gus the kitten was taken into The Poppy Foundation at Bonanza Cat Hospital in Las Vegas after he was found on the streets in the brutal summer temperatures.

"It was thought that Gus had Cerebellar Hypoplasia because he was very unstable. He would fling his head around and showed all the signs of having this neurological disorder," Danielle, an avid foster based in Las Vegas, told Love Meow.

"I have experience with my own cat who had special needs, and something drew me to this little guy and I really wanted to help."

Once the kitten was cleared by the vet, Danielle brought him home where he met Foster Dad Elu.

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

"Foster dad always has a soft spot for the singletons. He feels so bad that they are alone and they don't have a playmate, so he becomes their playmate. Gus adores him (they all do... he's the kitten whisperer)," Danielle told Love Meow.

"Gus loves to rub his entire body across Foster Dad's face... over and over and over. He loves his playtime with his favorite person." (Scroll down for video)

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

During the first two weeks in foster care, Gus wore a neck brace to help stabilize him because he couldn't control his head at all and it was flopping all over. His left eye also needed to be removed due to a deep corneal ulcer, but Gus was too small for surgery.

Danielle has been treating his eye and keeping it lubricated every day around the clock until he is big enough. "I've been getting up all night doing this since I got him. So it's kind of like having a bottle baby," Danielle said.

Gus went in for a kiss with Foster Dad Elu.

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

Gus is the happiest little guy, who doesn't let anything slow him down. He demands attention and wants to be picked up and cuddled all the time.

Foster Dad Elu insisted on giving Gus his nightly bottles, and the tiny fur buddy began to put on weight. Every ounce he gained was something to be celebrated for in the family.

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

When they returned to the vet for a checkup, the kitten surprised everyone with the progress he had made in just two weeks.

"He got his neck brace off. Gus is walking so well now. His head is not tilting or having tremors any more. The brace really did its job," Danielle added.

On June 30, he finally reached one pound! "I was so happy, I literally cried."

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

"Gus is one extraordinary kitten. He has a sweet, gentle, playful, kind spirit. You would never know he had such a rough time in the beginning of his little life," Danielle told Love Meow.

"If Gus were a human, he'd be that guy that everyone wants to be around. The funny guy who makes everyone laugh. The guy that even though he has so many obstacles to still overcome, always has a smile on his face. (And the guy that all the ladies love because he is so adorable)."

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

Today, Gus is at one pound and 13 ounces. He still has a little more growing to do before he's ready for surgery. "But I have no doubts he is going to bounce back from that quickly. Having one eye is just going to make him that much more special."

Gus the wonder boy is always happy, bringing joy to everyone around him.

Danielle @fostercatsandkittens

Follow updates on Gus on Facebook and Instagram @fostercatsandkittens.

Watch Gus' foster journey in this video:

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Related story: Kitten Found in Alley Gets Help to See and Thinks Her Foster Dad is Her 'Mom'

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Thanks so much for posting this vannrox!
PING to a couple of kitteh ladies!
Radu and Luvvy-come fall in love with this little baby!

[radu]

I saw this last night and almost cried. What an ADORABLE lil behbeh kitteh! And what a rough start to his life. He’s so lucky they took him in, and have they ever turned him around! Wonderful to see the difference.

[Hot Tabasco]

hoping the bone would fuse back together. It didn’t and her leg had to be amputated.

My past cat Squeek was over weight and one night tried to jump on the bed but fell back and broke her hind leg.

Major cat crisis for me but to make a long story short, I ended up taking her to a vet friend of my sister's. The leg was broken in two with a bone fragment also. He performed surgery on her by inserting a rod down the leg and wiring the broken off bone fragment to the broken bone and encased the broken area with a small cast.

Approx. 6 weeks weeks later I took her back to the good Doctor who removed the rod but left the wiring that held the broken splinter in place and she was good to go...........

Total cost: $1,200 for all the good doctor did and an additional $650 to the original vet who had no idea what she was doing.........That's another story in itself.

[Fred Nerks]

Sounds like Supervet:

https://www.thesupervet.com/

this man is remarkable.

[Hammerhead]

Soon he’ll be old enough to go outside and kill 1000 birds and ignore you as soon as you walk in the door after a long day. Of course only paying attention to you to get fed.

I freaking hate cats.

[RooRoobird20]

My heart is melting, what a sweet story!

[usconservative]

I have two feral kittens living under my deck. They run if I step outside but they eat the food I put out for them, so that's something.

I lost my dog Teddy after 14 years almost two months ago now, at least the kittens give me something to watch.

[luvie]

Awwww...thanks for pinging me to this adorable face and sweet story. That foster dad is a hero!

Wish I could find loving homes for the 5 li’l fuzz balls that are occupying my back yard. LOL!

I did get to pet one of them today, even though they are very wild. :)

[clamper1797]

Mrs Clamper and I adopted two rescue kitties last Sept. They are brother and sister and were feral. After 3-4 months of hiding under the bed they have become two very loving kitties. They are inseperable from each other and follow is around the house wanting loving attention. Unconditional love from these two wonderful animals

[Heart of Georgia]

Yes, cats are entertaining. We’ve always been blessed with several because they find out where we live. We were finally down to one, Punkin, and now the feral has come along. Punkin screeches at him and pounds the window - which is funny because she goes from a docile little thing to something crazed and wild.

Sorry about your loss of Teddy. My 15-yo pomeranian literally vanished into thin air last November while we worked in the yard. I searched for months. Still haven’t given up totally, but in my heart, it feels final.

[usconservative]

It’s fun to watch the two of them play and strut across my deck like they own the place. Maybe one day they’ll let me pet them. Who knows.

[ladyjane]

I have a feral. It’s been a couple of years. It has taken a long time for her to even stay in the yard while I am there. She now stays in the yard when I put food out and even lets me pet her. Maybe in a couple of years she will come in the house. When I feed her she now will purr.

p.s. She is fixed. Her ear is clipped and she has had a long term rabies shot.

[Heart of Georgia]

“She is fixed. Her ear is clipped and she has had a long term rabies shot.”

Did you trap her, or did you have someone else do it?

[ladyjane]

I didn’t trap kitty. I think it was the Friends of Feral Felines who trapped her, spayed her and then released her.

She was already fixed when she came into the yard. I put some food out but she had run away. She waited 15 minutes and then returned eat the food. Over time she returned to the food more quickly.

I also moved the food closer to the back door and over time she would come to eat while I was sitting on the back steps. It has taken more than 2 years for me to pet her. I don’t think she will ever sit on my lap and I wouldn’t dare try to pick her up. I’m hoping next winter she will come into the house.

[Heart of Georgia]

I don’t want him to mistrust me, so I guess I need to find someone like that group you mentioned and give a donation to their work.

He’s young, maybe 6 months, so hopefully he can be tamed. I’ll try anyway.

[ladyjane]

If the cat is hungry it will eat while you are still out in the yard.

I found that it was important to let the cat come to me rather than try to pet the cat. You might try singing to her. They like that. Don’t whistle though. Many cats do not like the sound of a whistle - even a very soft whistle.

So let the cat come to up and bump up against you. If you try to pet her, try just petting the tail first. (It’s furthest from the front claws.) Once she’s okay with you petting her tail then pet the top of her back near the tail.

You definitely need to get the cat fixed. You don’t want a litter or your back yard sprayed. If you google Friends of Feral Felines and your city you should be able to find a group that will let you borrow a cage. It’s probably good to have a stranger handle the cage so the cat doesn’t associate you with the process.

[Heart of Georgia]

He’s a good communicator. He sits just beyond the french door watching me, and when I look out, he looks from my face, to the dish several times to let me know it’s mealtime and his plate is empty... which of course I dutifully fetch.

He comes pretty close to me. Last night, he started eating while my hand was still near his dish.