<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body dir="auto"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Courtesy of the Huffington Post at:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-pet-collective/disabled-kitten-uses-walker_b_4044194.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-pet-collective/disabled-kitten-uses-walker_b_4044194.html</a></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">---------------------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><h1 class="title-blog" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 32px; line-height: 36px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Disabled Kitten Uses Walker to Take First Steps</h1></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was unsure if Thumper, a white kitten with black spots, would ever walk, but once he took his first step, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thumper was homeless and abandoned in a yard. There were three litters stranded in the bushes left to die. Nine kittens were saved that day by PACT, including Thumper.<br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;"><br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;"><a href="http://www.peopleandcats.com/" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PACT -- People and Cats Together</a> is a nonprofit rescue organization that has been on a mission rescuing cats, spaying, neutering and finding homes for kittens. They have been rescuing animals for years, but Thumper was a unique case.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thumper could not keep up with his litter mates. He was falling behind. He couldn't walk or even stand. His back legs were not strong enough to support him. He would get around by crawling and dragging his body across the floor. He wanted so badly to play with the other kittens, but his legs prevented him from being able to.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><p style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;">PACT took him to the vet and Thumper was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. He was born with the disease and there was no cure. It is simply that some cats recover and others do not. The vet did not know if Thumper would ever walk. <br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;"><br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;">If PACT had not rescued Thumper from the yard that day, there is no way Thumper would have survived. He would have been prey, or hit by a car, or even worse ... he would not even have been able to move to find food or shelter.</span></p></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">PACT rescuer Jane and Thumper's foster mom Anita brainstormed together to figure out ways to help Thumper rehabilitate, so he could live his life like a regular kitten. The odds of finding a home for a disabled cat would be significantly lower than a healthy one. PACT came up with an idea to have a special walker constructed to help strengthen Thumper's legs. Some people were skeptical that Thumper could recover this way, but once Thumper was given the little extra help he needed, he took his first steps.<br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;"><br style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: block;">Thumper was walking faster every day. His legs grew stronger. Soon he was running with the help of his walker. After two weeks of therapy, Thumper had proved all his doubters wrong. A cat has never been so determined to walk before. Soon, he didn't even need it and could stand on his own.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><p style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now, nothing is stopping Thumper. He doesn't use the walker. Thumper plays with his litter mates like all the others. He tackles them, and chases after strings and feathers. He doesn't seem to get tired. He jumps up on laps and loves all the extra love and attention that he gets for being special. Thumper is an inspiration. He was resilient. He just wanted to be like every other cat, and he is! Now, Thumper runs like any other cat, but with a little extra swagger. It would be impossible to know that Thumper was unable walk when he was first rescued, but that's what makes him extraordinary.</span></p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thumper is currently up for adoption and waiting to run, jump, play and be loved in a home somewhere special. If you're in the Southern California area and interested in adopting Thumper, <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/26688258/" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">check out his adoption profile on PetFinder</a>.</span></p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Do you have a Tail of Hope or Survival? We'd love to hear it! Visit us at <a href="http://thepetcollective.tv/" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">thepetcollective.tv</a>and tell us your story!</span></p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">--------------------</span></p></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img src="cid:F8111CC3-B629-443F-BC12-221D002BD291" alt="2013-10-04-thumperkittenwalks4.jpg" id="F8111CC3-B629-443F-BC12-221D002BD291" width="550" height="307"></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img src="cid:EC713D85-1378-477A-A25E-765622D645FC" alt="2013-10-04-thumperkittenwalks1.jpg" id="EC713D85-1378-477A-A25E-765622D645FC" width="550" height="339"></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">---------------------------------<br><br><div>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> </span></div><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">- John Lennon<br></span></font><div> </div></div></div></div></body></html>