When Kristen Gerali, founder and president of ALIVE Rescue, learned about an adorable kitten who was at risk of being euthanized, she was eager to help the young special needs cat. The tabby kitten, who was named Motor Boat in honor of her loud and constant purr, was surrendered to a city shelter in Chicago in January 2019 when she was just eight weeks old.
“Upon her surrender, it was discovered by the shelter staff that she was unable to use her back legs — likely due to a previous injury,” explains Kristen, and the person who surrendered Motor Boat told the staff the tiny tabby had been slammed in a car door. “Her bladder was completely full, and she needed vetting right away.”
After examining Motor Boat, the staff at the shelter worked tirelessly to find a local rescue that would be willing to help her, which is how she ended up at ALIVE Rescue, an organization dedicated to helping animals in need, especially those who are sick or injured. “An hour before she was scheduled to be euthanized, ALIVE Rescue saved Motor Boat,” says Kristen. “Paralysis shouldn’t be a death sentence for any animal, and ALIVE Rescue was happy to save this amazing, loving girl.”
Shortly after rescuing Motor Boat, or Mo for short, from the shelter, ALIVE Rescue took her to the vet for a thorough examination. After confirming the two-month-old cat had most likely suffered some sort trauma, rendering her partially paralyzed and bladder incontinent, the rescue placed Motor Boat in a fantastic foster home.
“She was on crate rest for a bit so we could determine the extent of her paralysis and potential injury,” says Kristen. “After that, she started physical therapy to see if she would ever regain the use of her back legs.”
Motor Boat’s physical therapy included acupuncture, a wheelchair, massage, laser therapy, and even an underwater treadmill, but eventually it became apparent she would not be able to regain use of her back legs. More than a year after she was rescued from the shelter, it’s also apparent Mo’s paralysis and incontinence doesn’t have a negative impact on her quality of life. “She isn’t in any pain and is completely mobile — and playful — without the use of her back legs,” says Kristen.
Like a typical cat, Motor Boat adores boxes, taking naps, and eating wet food, and she loves scooting around her foster home and playing with her foster siblings. “She’s incredibly social and loves to be around humans, cats, and dogs alike,” says Kristen, making Motor Boat a great pet for lots of different types of families.
While she may not be able to move like the average feline — or use a litter box like a typical cat — Motor Boat is actually relatively low maintenance. “Mo needs her bladder expressed several times a day, as she is unable to urinate on her own due to paralysis,” explains Kristen. “However, she can poop on her own.” Bladder expression is surprisingly easy, and the team at ALIVE Rescue is more than happy to teach interested adopters how to express Mo’s bladder.
They would also be happy to teach potential adopters physical therapy exercises they can do at home with Motor Boat to help improve her core strength, stretch her shoulder muscles, and prevent her hinds limbs from atrophying.
While this beautiful girl requires more care than a typical feline, Kristen believes looking after Motor Boat is easier than a lot of people might think. “Many people shy away from adopting a special needs animal because of the extra work that they require,” says Kristen, “But it’s so rewarding to care for an animal like Mo!”
Hopefully, it won’t be long until Motor Boat finds the perfect forever home, but there’s no way Kristen and everyone at ALIVE Rescue will ever be able to forget this sweet and inspiring cat who was rescued an hour before she was scheduled to be put to sleep. “Mo is a constant reminder of how important animal rescue is,” says Kristen. “She’s why we do it!”
To learn more about this gorgeous cat, you can follow Motor Boat on Instagram.
If you’re interested in adopting Motor Boat, please complete an adoption application.
