Lyle - special needs Domestic Short Hair Mix Portland, OR

Lyle is a 6 month old, short haired, black tuxedo male kitten. He has a heart condition which will be explained below. He has seen a cardiologist.

Lyle is a sweet, playful kitten who would like nothing more than to be your bestest friend. Lyle loves every cat and person he meets. He is great at keeping himself entertained with toys but will still need you to retrieve them from under the furniture and appliances.

Lyle would love to have a kitty friend in his furever home but would probably do well as an only cat in a busy household where someone is around to play and cuddle with him.

Lyle has a ventricular septal defect (VSD). This is an abnormal communication between the two ventricles (pumping chambers) of the heart. In the normal heart blood returns from the body to the right heart where it is pumped out to the low pressure circulatory system of the lungs. It then flows back to the left side of the heart which pumps blood out to the high pressure systemic circulatory system. A VSD is formed in fetal development when the two
parts of the growing interventricular septum do not make contact properly.

Due to the lower pressure on the right side of the heart blood flows from the left heart to the right and is immediately ejected to the lungs. This fraction of blood plus what is normally pumped by the right heart, return to the left heart, which may eventually lead to an increased volume of blood and chamber dilation.

Over time this can lead to left sided congestive heart failure and/or increased blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). Severity of disease and the likelihood of clinical signs is dependent on the size of the VSD. Lyle's VSD is moderate in size so it is not immediately clear how it might impact him. Re-evaluating the defect as he grows will allow us to better determine his long term prognosis.

This is the most common form of congenital heart disease seen in cats, and is rare in dogs.

If you want to be considered for adoption...
***Please email jessicanwac@gmail.com for an application and more information.***

The $75 adoption fee Includes spay/neuter, microchip, worming and flea treatment, current vaccines for their age, and a vet exam. Negative test for FIV and FeLV. He is discounted due to his heart condition.

Northwest Animal Companions is an all-volunteer, non-profit foster-home based rescue. 100% of your adoption fee goes to provide for the medical and physical needs of the pets in our care.