Peanut the kitten is thriving after being born with brain damage. She and her two siblings were rescued when only days old, after living with their mother in a greenhouse in Normanton area of Wakefield.
The family were offered shelter by charity Yorkshire Cat Rescue. Centre manager, Sam Davies, noticed that something wasn’t quite right with baby Peanut.
“Peanut’s little head tends to twist to the right. Initially we hoped that we could straighten her out with a bespoke exercise regime but sadly, she is suffering from a neurological disorder called cerebellar hypoplasia.
“This is a condition we see about once a year. It is caused either during pregnancy or by difficulty during labour – something sadly vets cannot help with when kittens are born outside. The degree of neurological damage varies and we will see how much it affects Peanut as she grows up”
Straight after being rescued, Peanut and her family settled in with her foster carer Sue Greenwood who’s been watching the tiny kitten grow stronger by the day.
Looking into the future, Sam says: “Kittens who suffer from neurological difficulties are at greater risk of developing epilepsy as they develop through kittenhood. But we are determined to give Peanut every chance of a good life – however long that may be. For now, she is doing really well and we are hoping that she beats the odds. It does happen, so why not for her?”
“If she makes it through these challenging first few months, she’ll learn to compensate for her disability, absorb the world around her and make a very special family pet.”
“This kitten is very lucky to have been found; she may not have survived without special care, and definitely not as a feral cat,” adds Sam.
Peanut, her brothers and mummy will be available for adoption later this summer. For more information go to www.facebook.com/groups/catslookingforhomesatYorkshireCatRescue/.
