Buffy was about 5 months old when he was brought into the shelter where I volunteered. He had been found dragging himself across a yard by his front feet. He could only drag his back legs either having been struck by a car or, worse, being kicked by someone. An MRI disclosed a crushed vertibrea and a damaged spinal cord. It was unlikely that he would ever walk again.
Despite his injury, Buffy was infectiuosly good natured. All of the volnteers loved him. He would drag himself to the door of his room to greet visitors and would love to be held and petted. I fell in love and adopted him despite having five other special needs cats. I began to research small carts which could support his back end while I also began some special exercises to strengthen his back legs. Miraculously, he began to respond to the exercises. One day he stood up on his own. Weeks later, he began to take some steps and, after almost a year, he was able to hesitantly walk around my house!
Now, almost 5 years after he came home, Buffy is able to jump up on chairs and he loves to run, although he still has a difficult time controlling his back legs. He continues to be a happy, loving cat and a wonderful addition to our special needs cat family!
Guilford, CT
