Victoria is a beautiful and sweet cat. While she can't really walk, she stands up, tremors, tries to take a step and falls over backwards, she really gets around! Turn your back for a minute and somehow she has managed to get across the room. Victoria likes to climb the stairs when I come over and open the door at the bottom of the stairs where she has a large room while no one else is home. I just keep a hand by her side, and she pulls herself up those carpeted stairs one by one! She also has some favorite toys she likes to play with. Victoria lives with four other kitties, Lydia, who has a heart condition, Sunshine, who has asthma, Orma, and Louisa, who is feral. I never used to be able to find Louisa, but now she greets me when I come over (after two years) and will sniff my finger. No one can touch her though. The only special care Victoria really needs is occasional help with the litter box (mainly getting OUT of it before turning herself into a big mess after using it) and she needs to be separate from her other cat friends while eating ... her head bobs and it takes her a little while to eat.
Victoria's person writes:
"I picked up Victoria Louise and her brother Victor from the vet on February 14, 2002, so I should have known then that she would steal my heart. They were born at a Coxackie Prison where an animal loving correctional officer took them into his home. When it became apparent that he would have difficulty getting Victoria Louise adopted, he called Whiskers who agreed to take the pair. She was born with a birth defect called cerebellar hypoplasia, which causes her to have a bit of difficulty walking and moving around. This happens when mom kitty either has distemper or a distemper shot while pregnant.
Victor was a cute friendly 4-month-old kitten and got quickly adopted. As a foster parent, you have to harden yourself to the heartbreak of giving up your babies. Every adoption is difficult, but knowing they are going to good homes where they will be loved helps. Since I had managed not to keep any of my 40 foster kittens for the 2.5 years I had been fostering, I had convinced myself that I could also give up Victoria Louise. So, I would take her to the adoption clinic and eventually found her a potential home. Although, it broke my heart to think about giving her up, I steeled myself for the day she would leave. When that adoption fell through, I knew in my heart that she was staying with me. The only remaining factor was my husband, who had made it clear that our current 4 cats were enough! So, I continued to take her to the adoption clinic, hoping over time he would change his mind. I knew he had when he came home from being away for a week of travel and ignored me and the rest of the cats and went directly to her and said "How's my little sweetie pie?"
Since then, Victoria Louise has become the baby we never had. In my unbiased opinion, she is the most beautiful cat - she has long white fur, and black fluffy tail and black mask on her face. She also has the most unusual copper eyes. She has a loud purr and loves to cuddle. I bought a doggie pouch to carry her around so we can go places together. She is very calm even when there is lot of activity going on around her. And she's very attached to me. If I ever take her anywhere and leave her with someone else for a while, she's fine as long as I'm not around. But, as soon as I come back and she hears my voice, she lets out a loud meow for me to come and get her.
And she's an easy cat to have around. My 2 older cats don't want to do anything with the other kittens I foster, but Victoria Louise doesn't bother them because she can't chase them. She doesn't run around and create havoc. She does best on carpet and can't be near stairs or banisters, since it would be very easy for her to pitch right over. So, she stays downstairs during the day in a few rooms that are carpeted, but we bring her upstairs with us when we're home. Although she can't run around, she loves to play and pounce on the toys around her. She does have some challenges in the litter box, so she has a large size doggie box that has one side that is lower so she can get in and out easily. It also has tall sides for her to lean against. (It's hard to do your business if you fall over in the middle of it!)
Victoria Louise is a wonderful cat despite her challenges, and I feel very lucky that she is part of our life. I would encourage everyone to think about adopting a special needs kitty. Whatever little extra you need to give is paid back in the love they give you!"