While a man was strolling along some railway tracks toward the Life Learning Center, Covington, Kentucky, an unusual sight drew his attention.
There was a cardboard box secured with tape positioned on the tracks as if someone had intentionally placed it there.
Feeling that something was amiss, the man hurried to the box and lifted the lid.
What he discovered inside utterly astonished him.
Cruelly Abandoned
Within the box were five kittens that appeared to be no older than six weeks, huddled next to one another.
“A staff member at The Learning Center shared their plight on a local [Facebook] page seeking help for rescue, and subsequently, they reached Stray Haven,” stated Shelly Conner, the volunteer cat coordinator at Stray Haven Pet Rescue, in an interview with The Dodo.
Fortunately, the charming kittens from Covington were swiftly placed into foster homes, all thanks to Stray Haven.
As they acclimated to their new environment, the foster mother observed that they seemed somewhat different.
“At first, the foster who rescued them set them up in her bathroom, but soon realized that something was ‘off’ with most of them. She sent me videos, worried there was a neurological issue. I identified CH immediately. They arrived at my place that evening,” she recounted.
Ultimately, four of the five kittens were diagnosed with cerebellar hypoplasia.
Cerebellar hypoplasia, commonly known as wobbly cat syndrome, is a developmental condition that may affect both cats and dogs where the cerebellum in the brain fails to develop appropriately.
As the cerebellum is responsible for fine motor control, balance, and coordination, animals suffering from this condition exhibit jerky movements, tremors, and generally uncoordinated behavior.
This condition may arise if the mother cat contracts panleukopenia (also known as kitty parvo) during pregnancy.
Fortunately, Shelley had previous experience dealing with cats with CH, so she gladly volunteered to care for them.
In A Foster Home
The kittens adapted to their new surroundings almost instantly and were given some rather unique names.
The kittens diagnosed with CH were named Rocky Road, Cherry Garcia, Pistachio, and Sherbet, while the one without it was titled Chunky Monkey.
The four kittens had what is referred to as mild-moderate CH. Shelly elaborated that upon their arrival, they were incapable of standing and had loose stools.
This not only presented greater challenges but also led Shelly to believe they had a severe case of CH.
“As they became stronger and older, they gained the capacity to stand on all four legs. After about three weeks, they achieved enough stability to begin drinking independently and using the litter box. They have progressed remarkably in just five weeks,” she remarked.
Nevertheless, these delightful kittens are unable to differentiate between themselves. They only recognize that they are five spirited siblings who adore playing with one another.
Shelly remains hopeful that the rescue will locate parents for these kittens who have experience with CH, just in case.
Regardless, these lovely kitties will lead a normal life filled with joy, fun, and snuggles!