Peanut has severe weakness in his hindquarters and very little motor control. He cannot jump up onto things, and when he rubs against you he will bounce off and fall over due to his lack of control over his back half.
He will settle down in your lap for pets, but cannot remain still -- his backside is constantly twitching and he's always rearranging himself. He likes to be stretched out, as that seems to be the most comfortable position for him.
How did Peanut become a special needs cat?
That's anyone's best guess, honestly... It could have been an illness that left him brain-damaged, or he could have been stepped on / kicked by a horse as a kitten. The vet thinks it was most likely an illness since one of his littermates acts the same way but to a far lesser degree. She is still alive and well at the farm!
What special care does Peanut need? He doesn't require much, actually! I have to pick him up and put him places if he wants to go up, such as on the bed or on his window perch. He makes it quite clear when he wants up, too!
How did he become our cat?
Peanut is my buddy. I adopted him from my parents' barn when I saw that he wasn't walking properly and was cross-eyed. We have been through a lot together, including an episode where he very nearly died due to eating the ribbon off of a trashcan -- that involved a lot of vet visits, a lot of procedures, me giving him shots and fluids, and almost having him PTS before we found out what he'd gotten into!
I don't mind having to pick him up to put him where he wants to go. He is a very, very sweet cat and is always happy to curl up in my lap for attention. He is affectionate with my husband and me but tends to be shy around strangers. He is very definitely 'our cat', but most especially, he's my cat.
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Written by orangeishcat
Orangeishcat is the owner who shares the story of Peanut, this sweet cat with weakened hindquarters.
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