Bethel - some good news

**Lizzie** · 08-21-2006, 02:20 PM

As those of you who read a previous thread of mine know, I am adopting Bethel, the special needs cat currently with a Humane Association in Tennessee. Here's the Petfinder page from the original thread: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6764054 The adoption got a little bogged down because they kept faxing the adoption papers to me but they didn't come through because their machine has broken, so now they are mailing them.

I talked to the shelter manager about Bethel today and she was very keen to give me some good news. Bethel has just had an extensive medical exam and they found that her internal organs are all in the right place, so the deformities are only in her front paws and rear legs. Now comes the "is it bad news or is it good news" part. One of the vets believes that as Bethel grows, her back legs will become more deformed and she will be in constant pain, and therefore on a lifetime of pain meds the same as a cat with arthritis. The other vet believes that as Bethel grows, her legs will straighten somewhat and the muscle development that will happen as she becomes ever more active will help to support her body. Corey seems to believe the second vet is correct because Bethel has become more and more active and is now able to move in fast spurts. I will hope for the best, take her to a specialist for advice on activity etc., and watch her carefully.

It will be at least another week before I have Bethel in my home but in the meantime she's in a lovely foster home.

A quick note on Beans. My adoption of him has been accepted and I am in contact with a group of trucking angels to see when one of them can bring him to me. I spent part of my weekend re-organizing the master bedroom to accomodate them both.

**Killearn Kitties** · 08-21-2006, 02:27 PM

Aww, look at the size of her! Poor baby. I hope vet number 2 is right and Bethel will get stronger as she grows. Are you catnapping babies from all over the country?

**catlover4ever** · 08-21-2006, 02:32 PM

I too hope vet # 2 is right. Congrats again on opening your heart and home to adopt these two very special babies.

**Lizzie** · 08-21-2006, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Killearn Kitties

Aww, look at the size of her! Poor baby. I hope vet number 2 is right and Bethel will get stronger as she grows. Are you catnapping babies from all over the country?

It's beginning to look that way, isn't it? Perhaps I should try international next - better hide those grey beauties! At least the organization that has Bethel will fly her out to me, in company with the shelter manager. I looked into flying out to collect Beans but the cost was too much for me to cope with at this time. Please, please, Illinois dirty dozen, don't test positve to anything or I'll need to take you too.

**kimlovescats** · 08-21-2006, 02:41 PM

Congratulations! I hope for the best for her as well, and that Corey and vet #2 are the right ones! Can't wait to see pics of her when she gets to her new loving home!!!

Kim

**Laura's Babies** · 08-21-2006, 03:36 PM

I remember that little cutie pie, she is just to adoreable and I can't wait until you get her and we get updates and pictures! (keeping fingers crossed that vet #2 was right!)

**doolittleky** · 08-21-2006, 04:12 PM

HI Lizzie,
I am so happy that the adoptions are going through!!! I can't wait until you have your new babies home with you. We expect to see lots of Pic

!!!! Which trucker have you contacted about Beans? Did you still have Amanda and Keith's phone number? My borrowed cell phone has been acting up so bad I have been able to call them yet. I hope you were able to get ahold of them or at least another trucker to help out. Let me know if you need help with Beans.
Melissa

**QueenScoopalot** · 08-21-2006, 04:24 PM

I'm soooo happy you are taking both special babies...if it works out! There's a terrific (but fast paced) message board at www.handicappedpets.com and many others are caretakers of special needs cats, dogs etc. Bendy a regular poster there put little soft braces on her Bendy's legs when he was tiny and it made a world of difference in helping straighten them out. Beans has a whole other thing going on with him...like my sweet Kirby.

Stairs are out of the question for radial aplasia kitties, and more than likely Bethel until you can determine her abilities.
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ighlight=Kirby
Pics of a younger Kirby here....aka Kirbstone lol!

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ighlight=Kirby

**Lizzie** · 08-21-2006, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by doolittleky

HI Lizzie,
I am so happy that the adoptions are going through!!! I can't wait until you have your new babies home with you. We expect to see lots of Pic

!!!! Which trucker have you contacted about Beans? Did you still have Amanda and Keith's phone number? My borrowed cell phone has been acting up so bad I have been able to call them yet. I hope you were able to get ahold of them or at least another trucker to help out. Let me know if you need help with Beans.
Melissa

I got one response from the trucking group email address that Lisa sent me. They couldn't do it because they are in south Texas this week, but said that they would send out the message. I don't think I have Amanda and Keith's phone number.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 08-21-2006, 05:18 PM

I'm so glad you're able to adopt these 2 kitties. Bethel looks adorable and I also hope that vet #2 is right about her legs. I look forward to hearing more about them and hopefully seeing many pictures of them too.

**catmandu** · 08-21-2006, 05:19 PM

We are praying that Bethel will eventually progress to a point where she will be able to have as normal a life as possible, and that she will have you as her Guardian, where she will always know she has a true friend.

**Lizzie** · 08-21-2006, 05:25 PM

Stairs are out of the question for my CH kitten, Ashley, also and I have a high, heavy child gate across mine (which lead downstairs). I may have to change this as she gets older and stronger because she may try to climb it. She's been teaching me a lot about how to protect her and when I can't. I can't pad every single piece of furniture, for instance, and when she races along she sometimes smacks into it which makes me shudder.

I heard more about Beans' background today. Apparently his original guardians were unable to keep him because the mom guardian developed a severe allergy to cats. She was in tears, very distressed, when she brought Beans to the shelter. She told them he spent a lot of time on the sofa sleeping, so I know he can get onto a sofa. The one in my master bedroom is long and low, and I leave throws draped over the front to help Ashley get up, which will help Bethel but not Beans.

Beans may spend most of his time in the bedroom (I don't sleep in there but spend lots of time on my computer) to protect him from the other cats, at least at first. They had him with the other cats at first, at the shelter, but had to move him into the clinic because he was being hurt by them.

The story of Willy made me cry, how could it not. I could see so clearly that little cat fighting valiantly to survive and so many odds stacked against him, and you having to watch and being turned away.

Originally Posted by QueenScoopalot

I'm soooo happy you are taking both special babies...if it works out! There's a terrific (but fast paced) message board at www.handicappedpets.com and many others are caretakers of special needs cats, dogs etc. Bendy a regular poster there put little soft braces on her Bendy's legs when he was tiny and it made a world of difference in helping straighten them out. Beans has a whole other thing going on with him...like my sweet Kirby.

Stairs are out of the question for radial aplasia kitties, and more than likely Bethel until you can determine her abilities.
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ighlight=Kirby
Pics of a younger Kirby here....aka Kirbstone lol!

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ighlight=Kirby