Among many abandoned cats and kittens, an orange and white kitten was wandering all alone and stumbled upon the right person.
This little fella was first noticed outside a restaurant, from where he was kicked out, all alone without his mother or siblings in sight.
While wandering around the restaurant, he stumbled upon a kind-hearted person who knew the kitten needed immediate help.
The rescuer scooped the kitten up and hurried to bring him to safety. Meanwhile, the kitten was completely calm, as though he knew that was his new beginning.
While holding the kitten, the rescuer noticed something quite unusual; the kitten had a distinct nose. However, he wanted to let professionals give the kitten a thorough examination.
After sharing the story about a kitten in desperate need of help, Jennifer, the founder of Kitten Nuggets, instantly embarked on a mission. She arranged a ride and everything necessary for the kitten to arrive safely to her rescue.
Fortunately, the kitten, whom she named Arthur, safely arrived at his foster home after a long ride. But, it was all worth it because he could finally receive the help he so desperately needed.
First, he was provided with a litter box, delicious meals, toys, warm blankets, and other essentials to help him feel comfortable. Arthur immediately loved his new home and foster mom. Jennifer said:
“He was such a little love-bug right from the start.”
After the examination, it was discovered Arthur had a bifid nose, and he wobbled while walking, which wasn’t the best sign. Jennifer added:
“Arthur has a bifid nose, which is a midline defect (failure of the nose to fully fuse during development. He also exhibits neurological signs (ataxia, abnormal mentation).”
Despite his wobbliness and other issues, Arthur is one brave boy with a strong and loud voice and isn’t afraid of saying what he wants. He loves his new life at a foster home, but most of all, he loves food. Jennifer shared:
“He’s obsessed with meal times and screams for food. When he’s not screaming, he’s the purriest little purr box.”
Thanks to his voracious appetite, Arthur kept growing bigger and stronger, and soon needed a bigger room to play and zoom around.
Arthur received the necessary help, but his wobbliness is still there, even though he doesn’t let anything stop him. Whenever he stumbles, he quickly gets back on his paws.
However, Jennifer didn’t want to leave anything to chance, so she took Arthur to different tests, to make sure he was alright or to find out how to help him. Jennifer shared:
“After monitoring a bit, he’s definitely not neurotypical. He has trouble with balance, and mentally he’s not quite normal.”
Because of Arthur’s condition, they needed to prepare for more neuro consultations and more expensive diagnostics. But, thanks to the kind-hearted people and their donations, Arthur and Jennifer managed to pull through.
Having the right diagnosis is crucial to receive proper therapy and treatment. But, for now, Arthur is doing good and so do his test results. Jennifer shared:
“The good news is that all of his diagnostics (labs, bile acids, x-rays, CSF tap, and MRI) came back negative. I sent his MRI to Dr. Vernau, a neurologist at UC Davis, and the only thing she could spot was a left-leaning deviation of his cerebellar vermis (the medial portion of the cerebellum that connects each hemisphere of the cerebellum). So for now, we have no real answers. I’m not overly concerned currently, but I will be watching for any change or progression of symptoms that may point to a degenerative disease (but I really hope this won’t happen)!”
Despite not having answers, Jennifer decided to keep Arthur and monitor his condition. In the meantime, he’s living his best life, happier and more playful than ever, because for the first time in his life, he has someone who will take care of him.
If you want to keep up with Arthur’s story or even adopt some of Jennifer’s foster kitties, make sure you follow Kitten Nuggets for more.
