Dilute Calico

Phelicia is a very special - special needs kitty. She was only 4 weeks old and dying at a local shelter. She had five other siblings that all died from panleukopenia before we found out about her. When we first saw Phelicia, her temperature was 98 degrees and dropping, lethargic, extremely dehydrated and all huddled up, about to fall over. She was taken into foster care and we worked around the clock to keep her alive. We gave her sub-Q'd fluids, placed her on a heating blanket, had her under a lizard heat lamp and fed her through a syringe. We took her to the vet’s, but they said that she was too small to even get an IV catheter in her and to keep doing what we were doing. They did not give her much of a chance of living.
Phelicia's will to live was much stronger then we all thought, she continued to do better in our care and after it looked like there was a light at the end of the tunnel with the panleukopenia. With the panleukopenia she did become neurologically impaired and deaf from this disease. We are told that this sometimes can happen with these kitties.
Over the course of time, she has learned to compensate for her disabilities, although don't tell her because she doesn't even realize she has anything wrong with her. She staggers and reels around the house and other kitties don’t know what to make of her. At first, they just ran away or hissed and batted at her when they saw her coming. This didn’t affect Phelicia’s attitude, as she couldn’t hear their warnings and thought that their swat was some sort of greeting. She would just go over to them and try to make friends with them again and finally gaining their trust.
She, even as a small kitten, continues to challenge any cat to play with her on her terms and she doesn't have any fears. She loves to play with the vacuum cleaner when it is running. We know she can’t hear it, but she must feel its vibration when it is turned on. She comes from wherever she is in the house, tackles the nozzle and bites at it. Of course we then have to make it suck on her fur, which gets her going even more. She chases it all over the house while it is in motion, which usually leaves us eventually to have to put her safely away so some chores can get done.
She purrs like a little motorboat, is super loving, very independent and quite self-sufficient with everything she does.
Phelicia currently is involved with home therapy visits to area seniors and handicap individuals and puts a smile on every face she meets. She also shows us all how one little brave kitty can over come any challenge. Phelicia is truly a very “Special Kitty” indeed! Please consider sponsoring this super special little girl.