One seemingly ordinary day, Irene and her father, Joe, discovered an unusual furry guest in their backyard in Vallejo, California.
Beneath their parked car, a feral kitten was purring for attention.
The poor feline was a pitiful sight; he was skinny, ridden with fleas, and, to make matters worse, his hind paw was badly injured.
Assuming he belonged to their neighbors, Irene and Joe took the cat to them, but they clarified that he wasn’t theirs – just a feral cat they had occasionally been feeding.
Irene and Joe decided to leave the cat at their neighbor’s house since that was the area he was most familiar with.
However, to their surprise, the persistent cat made his way back to their home, determined to leave his old life behind.
Since the neighbors didn’t mind, they decided to keep the cat, whom they named Ernie, excited to offer him a new chance at a better life.
An urgent vet visit was non-negotiable for Ernie. The vet thoroughly examined him, paying close attention to his injured paw, which was becoming seriously infected.
Due to the severity of the wound, the vet informed Irene and Joe that the only option was to amputate Ernie’s paw.
The brave feline endured his surgery like a true champ and quickly bounced back, feeling more than ready to take on the world!
Right from the start, Ernie was the sweetest cat – but also a very needy one! Irene and Joe assumed this was because he had lost his mother too soon.
Ernie, being the weakest due to his injury, was likely abandoned by his mother who needed to nurture her healthier kittens.
Deprived of love from a young age, Ernie craved affection more than anything. He loved to be held, cuddled, and coddled – needs his new family was more than willing to meet!
But his hunger for food was stronger than his hunger for love.
With a voracious appetite, this sweet kitten could quickly turn into a hangry little beast when hunger struck.
Mealtimes often saw a feistier side of Ernie, but once the food was licked off the plate, he was back to his old, cuddly self.
Sweet Ernie loved to cuddle with both of his humans, but his favorite by far was his new dad!
Reflecting on their relationship in an interview, Irene mentioned how Ernie seemed to prefer Joe over her. She said:
“If I am holding him and cat dad is anywhere in sight, he will try to pull away and get to him.”
Of course, Ernie loves Irene too, but cat dad is cat dad, and no one can come between their love! His adoration for Joe knows no bounds!
When it comes to being a cat without a hind paw, Ernie doesn’t let that little obstacle stop him from living his best feline life.
He loves to explore the great outdoors with his family and run around in his backyard.
Sure, he runs to the side and his stance is a bit wobbly, but he doesn’t mind, and neither do his owners.
If anything, they often get inspired by his resilience and bravery. As Irene put it:
“There are times when there are high places that we think he can’t jump because of his disability. And he looks, and he measures in his head…you could see him thinking like, ‘Can I make this?’ and he’ll attempt it! And more times than not when we think he can’t do it – he does do it! So, it’s pretty amazing and it’s a very proud moment.”
Thanks to his loving family, Ernie managed to overcome his disability and live a fulfilled life.
Today, he’s a happy and healthy 12-year-old cat – information that shocks most people, likely due to his lively and kitten-like spirit.
I wish him many more years of health and happiness in the company of his favorite humans, and encourage you to follow this Californian kitty on Instagram to become a part of his growing Insta family!
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