Woman Fosters Paralyzed Kitten and She’s Still Caring for Him Nine Years Later!
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Most cats live cautious lives within predictable boundaries. Earl obliterated those boundaries before he could even walk.
Nine years ago, a stray mother cat guided her kittens across a street in search of safety. One by one, they scaled the curb and disappeared into the distance.
But the smallest one couldn't follow. At five weeks old, weighing less than a pound, Earl sat stranded on the pavement, crying as his family vanished without him.
That's when a kind woman named Rita heard his cries and saw his family disappearing into the distance. She found the tiny kitten alone, struggling, clearly in desperate need.
She called Their Last Resort, a rescue organization dedicated to providing abused, abandoned and neglected animals with a safe haven.
They responded immediately and Jackie, who learned about the kitten through the rescue, knew exactly who needed to hear about him. She sent three words to her sister-in-law Keina: "He needs you."
Earl arrived the next day as a foster case. The moment Keina met him, that plan evaporated. Nine years later, he's never left.
The Reality Sets In
Veterinarians believe Earl's mother accidentally stepped on him as a newborn, causing a spinal cord injury that left his back legs paralyzed. Keina refused to accept this as his final chapter.
She pursued every intervention available: animal chiropractors who taught her daily exercises, acupuncture sessions that improved his range of motion, constant work to unlock any hidden potential in his body.
Earl even received a 3D-printed set of wheels. He outgrew them quickly. More importantly, they discovered something remarkable: Earl moved faster without them.
He had developed his own method, his own system, and it worked better than anything humans could design for him.
But paralysis was just the beginning. Earl suffered from megacolon, a severe constipation condition that required maximum medication dosages, specialized food, and home enemas during episodes.
He wore diapers that Keina changed three to four times daily, sometimes more. Her entire schedule revolved around his needs. As he grew, the complications multiplied.
When Things Got Dangerous
Earl began attacking his own tail. Veterinarians couldn't explain why. One night, he attacked so violently that Keina returned home to a scene she describes as resembling a murder.
She rushed him to the Animal Emergency Center in Rochester, where staff discovered exposed bone in two locations and dead tissue at the tip.
The choice was brutal: send him home covered in medications and risk septic infection, or amputate immediately. Keina chose amputation.
The attacks continued, suggesting deeper issues. So the neurologist ordered an MRI, which revealed a cyst or fluid pocket in his spinal cord, likely an old injury from birth. No surgery was required for that specific problem. Just steroids.
The Fight of His Life
At six years old, Earl's megacolon reached a critical threshold. The condition he'd battled since he was five weeks old now demanded surgical intervention: a subtotal colectomy to remove the damaged portion of his colon.
His doctors expressed amazement that he'd survived six years without this surgery. Now Keina faced two options: euthanasia or major surgery. The medical team believed he could survive. Keina gave him the chance to fight.
The surgery occurred in early 2023. Recovery was excruciating. Keina slept beside him, syringe-fed him fluids, monitored every breath for warning signs.
Then Earl developed a fever. He attacked his tail again. His leg swelled. Something was catastrophically wrong, but doctors couldn't identify the source.
Three weeks of antibiotics, injections, blood work, scans. Nothing revealed the answer.
Finally, they performed exploratory surgery. What they found was unconscionable: a surgical sponge left inside Earl during the original operation.
It had been there for weeks, generating continuous infection. Without those three weeks of antibiotics already in his system, he likely wouldn't have survived.
The second recovery was even more brutal. Earl fought through it anyway.
Living Without Limits
Through every medical nightmare, Earl maintained his absurd, playful spirit.
He's a complete goofball, demonstrating determination that transcends inspiration and enters the realm of the miraculous.
Earl has flown on airplanes more than most humans travel in their lifetimes. He's visited Disney World twice.
He's explored Cape Cod, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and multiple camping destinations.
He's experiencing a life most cats never approach, regardless of physical ability.
Keina describes caring for a special needs pet as creating a connection stronger than any other relationship. Earl depends on her completely.
Over nine years, she's learned to read him so intimately that she anticipates his needs before he expresses them.
Earl believes Keina is his birth mother. He talks to her constantly, follows her everywhere, voices opinions about everything.
He's her best friend, and their bond exists in a territory only special needs pet owners truly comprehend.
Earl proves that obstacles don't define existence.
He's survived surgeries that should have killed him, recovered from medical emergencies that would have ended any other cat, and continued living with joy and determination despite his body's relentless challenges.
His will to live inspires everyone who learns his story. We should all aspire to live like Earl.
Keina shared with We Love Cats and Kittens:
"My life has revolved around Earl's needs for 9 years and I wouldn't change that for anything. I love him and the connection we have is something you only know from a special needs pet."
He was never just a foster who stayed too long. He's family. He's a fighter. He's living proof that the best things in life demand the hardest struggles.
Check out Earl in the video below:
A big thank you to Keina for sharing Earl's story with us.
You can see more of this amazing kitty on Facebook
Find out more about Their last Resort here
Related story: Kitten Found Paralyzed, Husky Steps in With Unconditional Love and Together They Defy All Odds
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