A kitten who was found crawling across a busy road, gets to run and jump again. He can’t stop purring.
A concerned citizen spotted a little black and white kitten struggling to crawl across a busy road. She pulled her car over, safely blocked incoming traffic and rushed to save the kitten.
The little one was very sick, lethargic and one of his hind legs was dangling loosely. The kind-hearted young lady took him home and reached out to the rescue community with a plea for help.
“The rescue group reached out to me, asking if I could foster. Of course, I said yes,” Ellen Richter, a medical fosterer based in Las Vegas, shared with us.
The kitten named Mariano was in critical condition and barely had strength to hold his head up. Ellen started a protocol of fluids and syringe feeding, and it breathed life back into that frail body.
He was covered in dirt and had a severe maggot infestation. After trying to clean him the best she could, Mariano let out some tiny purrs, curled up in her arms and fell asleep. “That was the first time he probably felt love and comfort.”
At the vet’s office, the kitten was given a grim diagnosis, with an injured leg and a host of other health issues. “I pleaded with the vet to let me try to save him. Mariano deserved a chance to live. I wasn’t about to fail him,” Ellen shared.
“He was started on medication, and within just a few hours, all the maggots were gone. A few days later, (to my surprise) he began putting weight on his broken leg.”
Mariano might have overheard the vet suggesting amputation, and decided to defy the odds. After a few more days of good food and great care, he got up on his hind paws, regained balance, and started walking again.
Watch Mariano the kitten and his journey in this cute video:
Ellen was amazed and encouraged to know that Mariano’s prospects had brightened and that there was a chance to save his leg.
Mariano was challenged with one health issue after another, but he continued to forge on and fill his space with purrs. After an emergency surgery to fix his diaphragmatic hernia, he bounced back on his feet and even meowed for attention.
The little wonder cat never wavered and just wanted to live and to be loved. While he was recuperating, Ellen stayed by his side, reassuring him that he was adored.
Within a week, Mariano was up on all fours again, and this time, he opted to run, jump and play like a normal kitten.
He would come running to his foster mom when he heard her voice, chase after moving toys, and even try to jump over a baby gate to meet other cats. Despite being a bit wobbly at times, Mariano didn’t let it stop him.
“They took a set of x-rays for his broken leg, and miraculously, it had healed on its own. This little guy is a survivor, and he has been through a roller coaster of issues, and turned out to be the sweetest kitten,” Ellen told us.
Mariano has developed a strong purr motor that always seems to be running. He is a bundle of energy, and kneads and purrs out of pure joy. “He is just a miracle—the odds were against him and he overcame all the obstacles.”
When he was ready to find his forever home, the perfect family came his way. “His new family had been following his story since day one, and fell in love with him,” Ellen said.
“He’ll have an older feline friend to play with and keep him company. I’ll miss him terribly but he’s now going to have a great life.”
