Caitlin McAuliffe
When Kris, a fosterer for Kitty Revolution, reached out to us about featuring her special needs foster kittens Livvy and Huxley, there was no way we could refuse her request! Like us, Kris has a soft for cats with cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), a non-progressive neurological condition, and we’ve featured her three wobbly kitties and several of her wobbly foster kittens. Not only is Kris always a pleasure to work with, but it’s hard for us to pass up an opportunity not just to raise awareness about cerebellar hypoplasia but also to try to find homes for wobbly kitties!
We were delighted to learn more about Livvy and Huxley, a bonded pair of a litter of five kittens Kris began fostering in October 2022 when they were just a few weeks old. Livvy and Huxley aren’t just incredibly cute, they’re inspiring, and the person who adopts this adorable duo should consider themselves very lucky!
We hope you enjoy reading their story, and please share this article on social media to help Livvy and Huxley find the forever home they’ve been searching for!
Meow As Fluff: How did you end up meeting Livvy and Huxley?
Kris: Livvy and Huxley came into foster care with their three other littermates, Romy, Dash, and Jasper.
Their mom was trapped while she was pregnant, and thankfully the kittens were born inside. Their caretaker felt like she was not equipped to care for special needs kittens, and their mom cat was done being a mom. So momma Rosalie went to another caregiver who could focus on socializing her, and the five kittens came to “Camp Wobbly Cat” since I have quite a bit of experience caring for kittens with cerebellar hypoplasia.
Romy and Dash were pretty healthy, but the other three were significantly-to-severely underweight. Jasper, in particular, was half the size of his next smallest littermate which was Huxley.
The three of them were extremely skinny, dehydrated, and had low energy. We worked on supportive care, giving subcutaneous fluids to increase hydration, and they received B-vitamin injections and high-calorie kitten food. What they did have going for them was that they all were willing to eat.
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Sadly a week later, that changed with Jasper, who suddenly stopped eating and being able to go to the bathroom. I was home sick with COVID at the time, but a good friend and fellow volunteer took Jasper to the vet for me, where he passed away a few hours later, to everyone’s surprise, even the vet’s. He was still perky until the end, so it caught everyone a bit off guard that his body was shutting down so fast. We don’t have any real answers about what went wrong with him, but the suspicion is that due to his failure to thrive for so long and being so undersized, his body just wasn’t able to keep up anymore.
Slowly, Livvy and Huxley gained weight and weren’t as skinny anymore; their appetites improved, and their energy level increased.
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They became just as playful as Romy and Dash, but they were a good pound behind them in weight and still are. While they are on the small side for their age currently, they are otherwise healthy and happy young kittens.
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MAF: What made you decide to foster special needs kitten?
K: Ever since I met my own three CH cats, the Tippy Tuxies, I have found CH cats to be especially sweet and endearing and enjoy helping them find their perfect homes.
MAF: Can you tell us a bit about cerebellar hypoplasia and how it affects Livvy and Huxley specifically?
K: Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH) is a congenital disorder that affects balance and coordination. In Livvy and Huxley’s case, their mom was an outside cat that likely got the panleukopenia virus while she was pregnant, which made her and her unborn kittens sick. This affects the development of their cerebellums which in turn causes them to have issues with balance and coordination.
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MAF: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you think people have about cats with cerebellar hypoplasia?
K: I think when people first experience cats with CH, they feel sad for them because their mobility can be challenged.
But from living with CH cats, it’s easy to see that their limitations don’t get them down because they’ve never known any differently. They persevere and find their own ways of doing things. But most importantly, they are happy and loved!
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MAF: What are some of the challenges — if any — have they faced as a result of their special needs?
K: In most ways, Livvy and Huxley are your typical playful and happy young kittens! They just move a little differently due to their Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH).
Their CH is on the moderate side, so while they do get around very well, they do experience frequent falls. Most often, young kittens seem to improve over their first year as they build muscle tone and learn to compensate. It probably also helps that they begin to slow down.
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MAF: What are some of Livvy and Huxley’s favorite activities?
K: Livvy and Huxley absolutely love people. They love snuggling, getting attention, playing and chasing wand toys, and also love snuggling together.
After their littermates, Romy and Dash, got adopted, the bond between Livvy and Huxley has strengthened. They follow each other around, play together and cuddle together. They would also like to be adopted together! They are located in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area.
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MAF: Please describe their ideal adopter.
K: Livvy and Huxley are looking for a cat-savvy adopter who is willing to make a few simple accommodations to their home to make things easier for the two young cats.
They are great with the litter box and just need to have easy access to litter boxes (they shouldn’t be too far away or hard to get to). Stairs and ramps would be helpful for them to be able to get up on furniture. Carpet or rugs would be helpful for them as it provides traction.
To learn more about these adorable kittens, you can follow Livvy and Huxley on Instagram.
If you’re interested in adopting Livvy and Huxley, you can complete an application.
