Rachel was working at a shelter near her home in Denver, Colorado, when a woman called the facility, leaving multiple messages about a kitten with malformed — possibly even broken — legs. “The shelter was full and could not take any more kittens in,” says Rachel. “The lady was persistent and contacted the shelter again, this time through the Facebook page, which I manage.”
The woman included a blurry photo of the tiny black and white cat, and Rachel — who has a lot of experience caring for animals with special needs — thought she might be able to help the little feline. “I almost exclusively foster special needs kittens and cats,” explains Rachel. “So often they do not get the care they need in a shelter, and often perish due to lack of care. With me, in an environment where they can grow and flourish, they reach their full potential despite their disabilities.”
Rachel contacted the woman right away, arranging to meet the little kitten in person on May 13, 2019. “I went to this woman’s house a few hours’ drive from me,” remembers Rachel, “and fell in love with this little potato of a kitten with so much spirit.”
Immediately, Rachel realized the the young feline — who was approximately two months old — was born with radial hypoplasia (RH), a congenital condition that causes cats to have unusually short and twisted front legs, as well as a condition that affects her hind limbs.
“Her back legs are twisted in and upside down,” explains Rachel. “Her front legs are bent and twisted, but much less severe than her back legs. She also only has two or three toes and toe beans on each foot!”
Smitten with the feisty kitten, Rachel agreed to foster her and her brother, who was also born with short and twisted legs, naming the black and white female Betty Boop and the ginger and white male Yoshi.
“I chose her name to suit her bubbly personality and also how she moves around!” says Rachel. “She boops around when she is in a hurry, looking like a little caterpillar potato. And she is just as saucy, loving, and spirited as her cartoon namesake.”
Back at Rachel’s house, Betty and her brother — who was also born with twisted limbs — made themselves right at home, but after just a week in his new foster home, Yoshi passed away from congestive heart failure. “Despite the best care from specialists and several vets, he did not pull through,” says Rachel, who did everything possible to save Yoshi’s life.
Betty, who had shared her entire life with Yoshi, took a while to adjust to life without her brother and best friend, but Rachel did her best to console the little special needs kitten. Three weeks later, this beautiful tuxedo cat — who has already been through so much in her short life — is doing well. However, in addition to her unusual front and back limbs, Betty was also born with a malformed pelvis, which makes it difficult for her to go to the bathroom.
“She needs help going poo sometimes because her muscles just don’t have enough power to make things come out,” explains Rachel, “She is on medication to soften her poo, and I make sure things are moving normally when I see her in the litter box.”
Aside from these issues with her bowels — which Rachel has pretty much got under control — Betty is a fairly typical kitten who absolutely loves to play. In fact, even though she moves a bit differently from the average feline, Betty’s unique front legs don’t slow her down, nor do they prevent her from exploring her home just like any other curious young cat.
“She loves to boop around on the carpet,” says Rachel. “She really gets up top-boop-speed! Since her back legs are so bent, her knees are the main contact point with the floor, and on carpet she can get major traction with them and really zip around!”
In addition to being surprisingly fast, Betty is extremely smart, determined, and sweet, making her similar to a lot of the other special needs cats Rachel has fostered. “I find they have the best spirits,” says Rachel. “They are wonderful little personalities that are such a joy to care for.”
With her foster mom’s help, Betty has blossomed into a happy, healthy, and extremely vocal little cat, and while Rachel will definitely miss this remarkable girl when she gets adopted, she’s incredibly thankful for the time she’s gotten to spend with this inspiring kitten.
“Every time I see her learn something new, get stronger, or walk for just a moment up on her paws, it feels like a personal triumph for us both,” says Rachel. “She looks at you when you talk to her, and talks back, making her a great companion. She is such a love — she is great to have around.”
If you’re interested in adopting Betty, or you just want to learn more about her, you can check out this adorable kitten on Instagram.
