If the number of legs wasn’t as visible as it is, I would have never guessed that Rexie Roo had only two. He is just so amazing, lively, and energetic!
The first thought when I heard about Rexie was “Oh, poor thing.” However, Rexie doesn’t seem to mind having only two legs. He’s more than capable of living his life to the fullest! He’s even more playful and active than some of my cats.
Rexie Roo, unfortunately, didn’t have it good before… He had a serious injury that resulted in his front legs being amputated, but now he is living his life to the fullest. He is fully recovered and absolutely loving his fur-ever home.
Danielle Barnhart, Rexie Roo’s foster mommy, was very serious about his adjustment process to his foster home. When they first arrived at the house, she made him a little cozy nest in her bathroom.
She wanted him to take it slow and feel super comfortable there, so he could slowly get used to his new environment. Rexie Roo was content in his bathroom space until Danielle heard him meowing one night…
She rushed to open the door, and he just walked right out of the bathroom. He walked by Danielle and went straight to her bedroom. She couldn’t believe her own eyes.
“He’d never walked more than a foot or two before.”
Who could have thought that Rexie Roo was just like any other cat? The only difference is that he has two legs instead of four.
Danielle is a proud member of the Best Friends movement helping animals in need, that is how she met Rexie Roo.
Soon after his little walk across the hallway, Danielle began letting Rexie Roo sleep in his cat bed next to her bed. It was that way until one night, she woke up and found him sleeping in her bed next to her.
Rexie Roo has always been a fighter! He arrived one night, likely after being hit by a car, at a shelter in Utah. His odds didn’t seem good, as he had two broken legs, was malnourished, shabby, and without a microchip.
He wasn’t neutered and was suffering from FIV. At the time, it seemed like the shelter had no other option but to euthanize the poor fella.
The shelter staff had to find someplace where Rexie Roo could get the care and help he needed. They tried their best to do so, so they wouldn’t have to euthanize him.
Luckily, the Best Friends team in Utah answered their pleas for help, but Rexie Roo wasn’t saved just yet. The medical exam at Best Friends Saving Lives in Salt Lake City uncovered that Rexie Roo’s front legs were severely damaged.
His legs had to be amputated in order to give him a chance at life.
Fortunately, the surgery was a success and after a couple of days in recovery, Rexie Roo was on his way to a foster home. Best Friends has a lot of supporters and members across the US, so finding a foster parent was a breeze.
Megan McCloud was happy to welcome Rexie Roo into her home. It was not easy for Megan since he was on a lot of meds, and she had to carry him to his food and litter.
Megan’s other pet cat was of great help too. He enjoyed cuddling with it and improved his eating. The next step was to get Rexie Roo walking again, and that’s when he met Danielle.
In the beginning, it was very hard for him to walk, but Danielle was persistent, and she remembered what would help any cat battle any issue: treats!
“He doesn’t walk like T-Rex, but he does lift his torso off the ground. Luckily he is very food-motivated. We were able to get him to start walking by luring him with treats, putting his food bowl a little bit out of reach, and giving him a treat-dispensing ball that he pushed around with his nose.”
It wasn’t long before Rexie Roo confidently jumped around the house.
Rexie Roo learned how to get on the couch, and go in and out of the litter box, and his spirit was uncrushable! This all meant one thing: Rexie Roo was ready for a fur-ever home.
A woman named Cairistiona Flatley fell in love with him the moment she saw his photo on Instagram. She had a cat named KeeKee and was looking for a second cat to keep her company.
“As soon as I saw his photo and read about his past, I knew I wanted to adopt him.”
Cairistiona did not waste any time. She contacted the shelter to learn all about his needs and the very next day went to visit them and meet her new furry friend.
As soon as she hugged him, she knew she ain’t leaving the sanctuary without him in her embrace.
“He is amazing. He already made so much progress at Best Friends, and he keeps getting stronger by the day.”
Cairistiona is amazed at how fast Rexie Roo adapts to any challenge he encounters. He’s even jumping onto her bed, but to save him from trouble getting down, she builds ramps.
For now, she made him litter pans but plans on building a ramp so he can transition to a litter box. What’s great about having him around is that he gets along so well with his new furry sibling, KeeKee.
“We’re making it work, right now we’re one big happy family.”
Cairistiona calls Rexie Roo her “wet food connoisseur” and at the pace he’s been going, she expects him to run around his fur-ever home like any other four-legged cat.
She also shares how, besides falling in love with him the moment she saw him, she never had any second thoughts when it came to adopting Rexie Roo, be he a special-needs cat or not.
“Everyone has their own issues. To me, he’s extra special. He has been through so much, and yet he remains the sweetest animal I’ve ever met.”
If you’d like to see more of this sweet and amazing two-legged feline, or as Cairistiona calls him Double Amputee QT (cutie), be sure to check out his Instagram profile.
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