http://www.eastbayri.com/story/280913444469680.php
Barrington's cat on wheels is at home at veterinary clinic
BARRINGTON - A fellow new to town has stolen four Barrington ladies' hearts. He's trim and sociable and has steel-grey hair. His name is Bumbles, and he's a domestic short-haired cat that relies on a small aluminum cart to help him get around. "He is unbelievably gorgeous," said Dr. Lynn Anne Evans of Barrington Veterinary Clinic, one of the ladies smitten with the silver and black tiger striped cat. Lisa Serio, Sherri St. Angelo and Stacey Wright, technicians at BVC, are the three other women who've fallen for the feline.
Bumbles has called the Barrington Veterinary Clinic home since last November, when a Barrington resident found him on a curbside and delivered him there. He was three weeks old and weighed one pound.
Bumbles's cart has been customized with a blue neoprene waist wrap, red-taping, and American flags.
Upon Bumbles' arrival, it was apparent something was wrong with him. When trying to move around, he would take a step, then fall, take another step, then fall again. Bumbles couldn't walk.
Dr. Lynn Anne Evans of the Barrington Veterinary Clinic diagnosed Bumbles with cerebellar hypoplasia; cats with the condition are missing part of the brain that controls balance. Apart from a lack of control over movement, they are normal animals.
"It [cerebellar hypoplasia] is not that common," said Dr. Evans. "We see a case maybe every year or two." And of the few cases she has seen, most are mild. Bumbles, on the other hand, has a severe case.
Because of this, Dr. Evans warned the staff at BVC to stay unattached to Bumbles during his first days with them. His immobility was so bad she wasn't sure he would ever be able to eat or use a litter box — making it difficult for him to survive as a pet.
But Bumbles showed a determination to prove otherwise.
"He ate on his own, he drank on his own, and he used to the litter box on his first day [at the clinic]," said Lisa Serio.
After three months, the clinic decided to order an aluminum cart, similar to a support walker, to help Bumbles be more self-sufficient and to get exercise. The cart, which came from K-9 Cart company and cost around $300, was customized based on video footage of Bumbles' movement.
Bumbles initially resisted his cart, but with perseverance, he learned how to use it.
"He was all over [the clinic] like a maniac man," said Sherri St. Angelo.
Bumbles spends five hours a day in his cart, moving from the sunlit reception area to the kennel rooms and the examining rooms. He's so comfortable in it, says the staff, he'll park himself in the sun and take mid-afternoon naps, just like any other cat.
"He has an admirable spirit," said Dr. Evans of Bumbles. "He teaches that you can have a pet that doesn't have physical perfection and still have a loving pet."
Home sweet home
Bumbles lives at the Barrington Veterinary clinic on Waseca Avenue, but technician Lisa Serio looks after Bumbles at her home when the office is closed. When not in his cart, Bumbles is most comfortable in a kennel crate. The crate is lined with sheeps' wool padding and there is a litter box in the back. Bumbles leans against dishes for support when he eats and drinks. In order to keep him from tipping or spilling food or water, the BVC staff fastened Bumbles' food and water bowls to the kennel door.
Modified ride
Bumbles' cart has been adjusted since it came to the Barrington Veterinary Clinic from the K-9 Cart company. A bright blue neoprene wrap, which fits around Bumbles' mid-section, was added to help him stay snug in his cart. Barrington Veterinary Clinic staff also wrapped red vet-wrap, a bandage for animals, around the front and back bars of the cart to prevent Bumbles from marking the walls during spin-outs or speedy commutes. A small Rhode Island vanity plate, reading "Bumbles," hangs from the back of his cart, as do two American flags — in honor of the upcoming July 4 holiday.
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