Rescuers realized they had to assist five newborn kittens who had wound up in a remote shelter in North Carolina. The unfortunate kittens were confined in a small, frigid cage, and because kittens that young can’t generate their own heat, they needed to get out as soon as possible.
Susan Spaulding, a foster parent and co-founder of the National Kitten Coalition, agreed to take in all five kittens. Spaulding has 25 years of experience dealing with kittens and was unfazed by the newborns’ requirement for bottle-feeding and round-the-clock care to live.
When the kittens arrived at their foster home, they were in terrible shape, and regrettably, one of them didn’t make it and died the next day. Even though it was distressing, Spaulding knew she couldn’t abandon the four remaining kittens.
“I honestly didn’t know what the future held,” Spaulding told The Dodo, “but I was going to give Bijou and her brother’s plenty of love and hope for the best.”
Bijou, the only girl in the litter, was always noticeably smaller than her brothers. Bijou just did not develop like her brothers did as time passed.
“The remaining three kittens, all boys, progressed normally and moved on to rescue for adoption right on schedule,” Rebecca Jewell, executive director of the National Kitten Coalition, told The Dodo. “Bijou progressed much more slowly, and at about 4 ounces, seemed to stop growing. She would gain a few grams, lose a few grams.”
One night, Bijou’s health severely declined and she almost didn’t make it – but somehow she pulled through. The whole ordeal seemed to make Bijou stronger, and shortly after, she finally passed the 5-ounce mark.
“As long as Bijou was fighting and comfortable, I was going to fight right along with her,” Spaulding said.
Bijou began to develop slowly, but she would always be considerably smaller than a regular cat. She weighed just 8.2 ounces at 9 weeks, and by 4 months, she had grown to 1.6 pounds. That’s almost half the size of a typical kitten at that age.
It’s unknown why Bijou is so diminutive. Spaulding has reared more “micro” kittens like Bijou, and veterinarians’ primary hypotheses include a lack of particular enzymes or hormones, as well as congenital cardiac problems. Regardless, Bijou is the happiest little cat you’ve ever seen, and she doesn’t seem to notice that she’s different.
“The joy she conveys to everyone around her is infectious,” said Spaulding.
Bijou is now 8 and a half months old and weighs 3.3 pounds. Despite her small size, Bijou is perfectly healthy, and is still in foster care with Spaulding in Charlotte, North Carolina. Spaulding is happy to care for little Bijou as long as she needs, and everyone loves watching her grow – even if the process is a little slower than most.
“Every life counts to me,” Spaulding added. “Once I’ve made a commitment, I don’t give up simply because the path is difficult – as long as the baby’s quality of life is good.”
I have a cat that show up on my porch and jump up and stated eating outside cat food. when I went inside the house she came in with and went to to litter box and used. I thought she was about 4 months old. after she was with me for 5 months she didn’t grow any. I had her fixed and found out she only weight 5 1/2 lb. and was 2 years old. She is still with me and will be here until the lord take her home.