A person stepped in to help a kitten born in an animal shelter. Now the young cat is blossoming in ways no one imagined.
MeowMegyn
Meo the kitten was born in an animal shelter and spent the first few weeks of his life in a kennel due to a lack of resources. She ultimately became the sole survivor of her litter. When a staff member noticed her declining health, they reached out for help.
Megyn, chair of the Critical Kitten Care Fund, jumped into action when she was contacted. “Meo was referred to me when a vet tech noticed she was very shaky, emaciated and weak,” shared Megyn with Love Meow.
At six weeks old, Meo weighed a mother 230 grams, about a third of what she should have. Her fate was uncertain, but Megyn was determined to give her a fighting chance.
Megyn
Megyn was informed by the shelter that the kitten was facing several health challenges. Meo couldn’t walk properly, her back legs gave out as she tried to move. A vet visit revealed that her wobble was likely due to malnutrition and low muscle tone.
During the first week, Meo spent hours snuggling with Megyn, often falling asleep tucked away in a soft blanket in her arms.
Megyn
Meo had not learned to eat on her own because of her cataracts, which limited her vision. To help her, Megyn guided the kitten to her food and taught her how to eat. “Once she had eaten well, she came back quickly.”
After having her daughter, she loved snuggling up against her human for maximum comfort.
Megyn
“She went from not being able to walk to running in less than a week.”
As her legs strengthened and her posture improved, Meo became more active and curious about her surroundings. She trailed her foster mother like a duckling, imprinting on her as she chugged across the room. “Once she gained enough muscle mass, she ran and played like a kitten should.”
Megyn
Although her vision was limited, her keen hearing helped her track the sound of her human’s footsteps. After her daily adventures, she enjoyed curling up on a warm lap and rocking herself to sleep.
“She has learned to navigate the world despite her visual impairment.”
Megyn
In a week, Meo blossomed into a bundle of energy. She was still tiny, but acting like the lively seven-week-old kitten she was.
“The whole time she had been nothing but full of love. She purred the moment I petted her when she was 230 grams at six weeks old and hasn’t stopped purring since. She has such a zest for life and loves to play with any toy, especially toys that make noise.”
Megyn
“Once tired, she wants nothing more than to snuggle with any human or creature she can find. Despite her congenital anomalies and neglect, this girl has been so resilient thanks to her desire to live and love.”
With good food, physical therapy, and plenty of room to roam, Meo’s legs were straightened so her personality shone through.
Megyn
At eight weeks old, Meo finally hit the one pound mark, a huge milestone that shows how far she had come.
“Meo has overcome her last obstacle – stairs. Being low vision, she struggles with depth perception. Going up is much easier than going down for her.” After weeks of practicing safely going downstairs, “I’m happy to report that she’s finally getting the hang of it.”
Megyn
“Meo loves people more than anything and has been known to fall asleep mid-play if she is on or near a human. Some people have blankets or stuffed toys to help them get cozy. Meo has its people.”
Meo is about four months old now and always a baby at heart.
Megyn
“I’m so grateful for how far she came from being so severely emaciated to gaining the right weight. No matter how big she gets, I hope she’ll always be someone’s baby.”
Megyn
Share this story with your friends. More about Meo and Megyn’s fosters on Instagram and Critical Kitten Care Fund on Instagram.
Related story: Man is drawn to a cat who has waited nearly 800 days for a rescue since she was just a kitten
