My baby girl finally got to come home!

Penelope is a 5 year old black and white DLH that I adopted Saturday morning, after waiting 3 months for her (had to move before I could take her). She's been with the rescue since she was a few weeks old, after being pulled out of a shelter.

She's been with the rescue so long because Penelope isn't "perfect." She has a neurological condition called Cerebellar Hypoplaisia. CH causes cats (and dogs) to have impaired balance and motor skills. This can range from mild (like my Peep) which only kind of waddles and stumbles occasionally to severe which can't walk without the aid of some kind of walker or wheelchair. The condition is caused by exposure to distemper before or immediately after birth, which prevents the cerebellum (the part of the brain which handles gross motor skills and balance) from fully developing. These cats aren't in any pain, they aren't suffering, they don't get any worse over time, and they will live perfectly healthy, long wobbly lives. Mild to moderate cats usually learn to make up for their trouble jumping by becoming crazy good climbers. Peep really just waddles her big fluffy butt all around our apartment just fine. Sometimes if she gets too excited she'll topple over, but she just gets right back up and keeps going. 

Peep has it a little harder than most other mild CH cats. Despite SIGNING A CONTRACT EXPLICITLY STATING that she was not to be declawed, the one time she was adopted out by the rescue before, they immediately declawed her. So now she *can't* climb *or* jump like a normal kitty. As if violating contract wasn't bad enough, the family that adopted her as a kitten promptly returned her because "their other cat was being mean to her." It infuriates me that not only would they do that to a cat that needs her claws to get around and live life like a normal cat, but that a vet was even willing to perform the operation in the first place on a mobility challenged cat.

Her and my other cat... miraculously already get along perfect?

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Link Tree

awe!!! shes so precious! < 3

PEEEEEP!!!

I bet they both get along so well because they know they've hit the jackpot with you :p i love the shots of them together where they're just chillin in cat loaf formation together.. so cute ^_^

She's gorgeous!

wow, she's such a gorgeous little kitty!! love her coat!

Her coat is ridiculous LMFAO I love it. She needs brushies daily because she can't really groom herself without toppling over all the way but she just sits there purring away.

And yes cataloaf. She's a cataball it's wonderful. My friend pointed out how her face is just... Shoved in the fishy. She fell asleep like that. HAHAHAHAH

Link Tree

She looks lovely! ♥

I really don't understand why you'd de-claw a cat.. if you don't like claws don't get a cat! its a package deal people!

Cuties!

My cat and my grandma's cat basically just got along. My cat likes to pounce on her sometimes, but it's because she does this weird crab walk by him and he thinks she wants to play. He's not actually trying to hurt her.

Yeah Mordred keeps trying to play with her. He'll wind up and pounce but land just short of her and try and poke her. It's pretty funny because she just gives him this LOOK.

Link Tree

Dis Catloaf iz baking. Do not dizturb.

She's adorable!!! (: