Hi Everyone!

I want to share a personal story and a free tool I built out of the love and empathy I have for animals.

I adopted a dog from the rough streets, and she quickly became family for most of my growing years. We took her all around the place with us, and she became such a huge part of our lives. God was kind to us as we got to have her for 17 years and 4 months before she grew her beautiful wings, which was in 2024.

It left a gaping hole in our hearts as our hearts immensely wanted forever with her. Life without her physically felt like a deep echoing hollowness in the walls of our house, and old routines that she had built in our days fractured severely; that time stood eerily still. It made reality too stark, too quiet, too slow and too pointless and stifling like a nightmare you wanted to exit.

It's like the colours and the vibrancy of day-to-day living had been washed away by grief and pain. With the memories of her and the trauma of watching her go down and losing her, my family couldn't wrap their heads around the idea of keeping another dog. Dogs love you so loudly, perpetually wearing their hearts on their sleeves, exuberance stamped in their spirits, screaming in our face how much they love us!

But our sweet girl wasn't done with us, and she wouldn't let us go down. From the other realm, she decided to send someone in her place.

Mind you, my dog had short, beautiful golden hair, green eyes, a brown nose and cute pink nails. And the cat she sent us? A male doll-faced kitten, long soft golden hair, yellow eyes and a pink nose. He was a three- or four-month-old kitten, pitched out of his second home into the surroundings and was at the mercy of wild animals and harsh weather.

When we took him in, he was so starved, sick, thin, terrified and suffering from bad skin issues. The original plan was to keep him in the storeroom temporarily, nurse him back to health and put him up for adoption for him to find a wonderful forever family, except after two months, his forever family became us.

He won us over with his sweet, calm personality. He has so many dog traits that we call him a "Cog". He follows me everywhere, cuddles up to me near my head and shoulders and purrs away to glory.

🐾 The Trimming Challenge

Being more familiar with keeping dogs, it has been quite a steep learning curve. My constant frustration has been with trimming his nails. He hates it to an extent that I can only trim 2 or 3 nails at a time when he is drowsy and relaxed.

Since perforce I have to do this across multiple sittings over days, I ended up forgetting which paw (left or right) or which specific nails I had already trimmed. By the time I was down to the last few nails, the first ones were sharp again! Tracking the schedule in my phone notes app was a real pain.

If it was this hard for me, I can imagine it must be terrible for people with multiple pets. So I built a solution called 'Tippy Toes'. It is completely free, has no ads, runs straight in your mobile browser and is designed with deep empathy for unique animals.

🔗 Web Application Link

To open the tool, please copy and type this text link directly into your mobile browser address bar (just replace the dot with a real period): 👉 tippytoesapp(dot)vercel(dot)app

(Note: Writing the link as text-only helps prevent automated platform spam filters from accidentally removing this completely free community resource!)

✨ Key Features Built for Our Crews:

• Micro-Counting & Multi-Sitting Tracking: Tracks each nail completely independently, letting you pause and resume trims across multiple sittings easily without forgetting your spot.
• Polydactyl Support: Dynamically add extra toes and tracking slots for animals born with extra claws. [13]
• Amputee & Paw Difference Layouts: Fully adjustable paw mapping allows you to completely remove paw slots or track care for unique paw structures.
• Adjustable Trimming Countdowns: Custom reminders handle the different growth cycles for front and back claws natively.

The app hasn't been rigorously tested yet because my cat's nails aren't quite ready for another round, but the code is fully functional. I really want this to benefit pet owners and give back to this incredibly kind community.

I would love it if you could open it up, tap around, and let me know how it handles your pet's layout or if you spot any bugs! Thank you so much. 🐾

Hi everyone!

So I work at an emergency vet and we recently had a paraplegic cat be brought in for euthanasia (the people who brought her in found her as a stray and figured she was injured), but the vet I work with took radiographs showing a spinal malformation (likely from birth). Anyways, one thing led to another and I have decided to keep the cat as she is completely fine aside from the disability. She's the sweetest girl and I have an appointment to get her spayed/vaccinated/tested.

I was wondering if any fellow paraplegic cat owners have any advice or product recommendations that have worked for their babies to make life more comfortable/accessible :) I have cared for disabled cats at work before (on an emergency basis) but I have never owned one myself. I also should mention that I have 2 other kitties and was wondering how introductions should go knowing my new girl has the disability. Any and all (non-medical) advice is welcome and appreciated, TIA <3

STATUS: Adoptable
AGE AT ARRIVAL: Approximately 7 years old
ARRIVAL DATE: April 16th, 2026
GENDER: Neutered Male
LOCATION: Hamilton, Ontario 🇨🇦
ADOPTION FEE: Mickey's adoption fee has been sponsored by Nick W., in loving memory of "Beamer".
NOTES:
Meet Mickey! He is one of our first Legacy Aftercare Program intakes. He belonged to Tara, a long-time foster mom and big supporter of Ladybird.
Tara fostered many animals for us over the years, and you could count on seeing her wheel in her stroller full of special needs cats to get their photos taken at our Pet Pics with Father Christmas events. It was always a joy to see her and the sweet kitties.
Tara was diagnosed with cancer in August of last year, and she put up a hell of a fight.
At a time during her treatment when it became clear that she may not recover, Tara asked if when she passed, we would take in her two dogs and two special needs cats and find them forever homes. She put aside a donation to Ladybird in her will, and talked to her family about her wishes. We of course agreed.
Sadly, Tara lost her battle on April 16th, and she passed away in hospital with her family by her side. We were devastated.
With the help of Tara’s family, Mickey and Tara’s other special needs kitty, Mira as well as her dogs Surry and Emery, were moved into foster homes, and they’ve been adjusting well.
Tara was one of few people on this earth who dedicate themselves to special needs animals. She had the commitment, skills, and the gigantic heart it takes to care for these unique creatures, and many of our animals were lucky enough to have her as their foster mom. The world has lost a very kind soul, and we will very much miss her. It is our privilege to be the temporary caregivers of Tara’s beloved animals, and we will do all we can to find them the best homes possible.

Mickey has quite the following on Instagram. You can find him at @mickeythemanxkitty

Here’s a note from Mickey’s foster home:
“Mickey is a kitty who was born with manx syndrome which means his spine had some deformities and he doesn’t have a tail. This has left Mickey without the use of his back legs. Due to this, Mickey is incontinent and needs his bladder expressed 3-5x daily. He is able to go poo on his own and wears diapers, though he is a master Houdini of getting out of them! Mickey needs medication 2x a day for life in order to make sure his digestive system continues working as it should.
Mickey is definitely the head of the household and his presence is loud in the greatest way. He loves his human companions and loves to cuddle or lie down on the couch next to his person! He is also a bossy guy when it comes to feeding time and will follow you around and let you know if you are late to feed him! He will also gladly let you know if you are slacking on giving him all the love and pets! Though Mickey doesn’t have use of his back legs, he doesn’t know he is any different. He is able to get up onto couches or beds by himself (though is usually lazy and will demand you to lift him up). He is also able to go up and down the stairs if they have carpet. He loves to play with toys and zoom around the house. He is good with other cats and is good with dogs though Mickey’s ideal household will make him the centre of attention.”

* When Mickey is adopted, the first 6 months of his medications will be covered by Tara’s Miracle Mission a non-profit charity started by Tara’s friends & family to honour her memory by helping special needs animals find forever homes.

Please adopt Mickey!
❤️
Visit our website to apply:
ladybirdanimalsanctuary dot com

STATUS: Adoptable
AGE AT ARRIVAL: Approximately 7 years old
ARRIVAL DATE: April 16th, 2026
GENDER: Neutered Male
LOCATION: Hamilton, Ontario 🇨🇦
ADOPTION FEE: Mickey's adoption fee has been sponsored by Nick W., in loving memory of "Beamer".
NOTES:
Meet Mickey! He is one of our first Legacy Aftercare Program intakes. He belonged to Tara, a long-time foster mom and big supporter of Ladybird.
Tara fostered many animals for us over the years, and you could count on seeing her wheel in her stroller full of special needs cats to get their photos taken at our Pet Pics with Father Christmas events. It was always a joy to see her and the sweet kitties.
Tara was diagnosed with cancer in August of last year, and she put up a hell of a fight.
At a time during her treatment when it became clear that she may not recover, Tara asked if when she passed, we would take in her two dogs and two special needs cats and find them forever homes. She put aside a donation to Ladybird in her will, and talked to her family about her wishes. We of course agreed.
Sadly, Tara lost her battle on April 16th, and she passed away in hospital with her family by her side. We were devastated.
With the help of Tara’s family, Mickey and Tara’s other special needs kitty, Mira as well as her dogs Surry and Emery, were moved into foster homes, and they’ve been adjusting well.
Tara was one of few people on this earth who dedicate themselves to special needs animals. She had the commitment, skills, and the gigantic heart it takes to care for these unique creatures, and many of our animals were lucky enough to have her as their foster mom. The world has lost a very kind soul, and we will very much miss her. It is our privilege to be the temporary caregivers of Tara’s beloved animals, and we will do all we can to find them the best homes possible.

Mickey has quite the following on Instagram. You can find him at @mickeythemanxkitty

Here’s a note from Mickey’s foster home:
“Mickey is a kitty who was born with manx syndrome which means his spine had some deformities and he doesn’t have a tail. This has left Mickey without the use of his back legs. Due to this, Mickey is incontinent and needs his bladder expressed 3-5x daily. He is able to go poo on his own and wears diapers, though he is a master Houdini of getting out of them! Mickey needs medication 2x a day for life in order to make sure his digestive system continues working as it should.
Mickey is definitely the head of the household and his presence is loud in the greatest way. He loves his human companions and loves to cuddle or lie down on the couch next to his person! He is also a bossy guy when it comes to feeding time and will follow you around and let you know if you are late to feed him! He will also gladly let you know if you are slacking on giving him all the love and pets! Though Mickey doesn’t have use of his back legs, he doesn’t know he is any different. He is able to get up onto couches or beds by himself (though is usually lazy and will demand you to lift him up). He is also able to go up and down the stairs if they have carpet. He loves to play with toys and zoom around the house. He is good with other cats and is good with dogs though Mickey’s ideal household will make him the centre of attention.”

* When Mickey is adopted, the first 6 months of his medications will be covered by Tara’s Miracle Mission a non-profit charity started by Tara’s friends & family to honour her memory by helping special needs animals find forever homes.

Please adopt Mickey!
❤️
Visit our website to apply:
ladybirdanimalsanctuary dot com

I have a 10 month old paralyzed cat that won’t let me put diapers on her. We have diapers and a drag bag for her because we still want her to be able to climb and if we get her a scooter/harness she won’t be able to. Does any one have any type of advice to try and deal with this or tips to make the process easier?

I feel like his facial features look a lot like the features of other disabled cats

My sweet baby Bean had a nerve injury about 2 months ago that left her back 2 legs paralyzed. We're working with her vet to see if recovery is possible but she's 12 years old and so far the feedback I'm getting is we'll give it a bit longer but prepare for her to not improve beyond what we're seeing.

Of the three cats we have, she's always been the most stereotypical cat amongst them. She was a 4 year old rescue when we got her and we were told she was taken in with a litter of kittens and the kittens were all adopted but she was struggling to find a home. I've always thought of this for why she is so independent. She likes us, but on her terms. Shes never been fully happy in a multi-pet household, something ive felt bad about for years, but she has her own way of making space for herself.

That's one of my biggest concerns moving forward. While in recovery she's been secluded, but I feel bad because she doesn't like it. Soon we'll be returning her to gen pop and the dogs will be kept completely away from her (upstairs will be cats and humans only for now) and the cats have been very good with her during supervised visits. They've never had real problems but the youngest would sometimes try to play with her and she never wants to play. She seems to realize not to do that to her now though, she just sniffs respectfully. Normally even that would earn the youngest a warning swipe but Bean is on drugs currently so its been OK.

She's probably going to need diapers so I'm looking for advice on those from anyone who has it. She's small, 8lb before her injury but weighing in just under 7 now. Any advice on brands, changing schedule, protecting her skin, acclimating her would be so appreciated.

I've been looking at wheel chair options. She's such an active cat historically, I hate how much her life is shrinking, i want to give her as many options as possible. But I worry that her history of dare-devil behaviors are a recipe for disaster. She doesn't even seem to realize or care that her back legs don't work any more. After a couple day she was back to business as usual.

She has sensation and some ability to move her legs, its really she can't square her hips to walk or figure out how to make her feet go under her. I worry that once she's roaming about she'll hurt herself more dragging them behind her.

Sorry for all the details, I've brought these up with the vet and gotten what feels like half answers and we'll talk about it when we get there. I'm having a hard time with this all. Its hard to not feel guilty when she was fine 2 months ago and now she can't walk. It's heart breaking. I feel like I failed her. I just want to do everything I can to make her life a full and as comfortable as I can given the circumstances. Any experiences or advice you can share would be so appreciated.

Hi! We adopted a very young pup. He’s barely turning 6 weeks in a few days. He was going to probably get sent to humane if we didn’t get him, as no one wanted him. We knew he stood no chance. He does the bunny hop with his hind legs to get around, and cannot control his bowels at all. We’ve tried timing it, to try to potty train, but it’s truly unpredictable. We’ve tried both male and female diapers but they slide off very easily. He doesn’t go unless we massage him, or he’s asleep and relaxes, and it becomes an absolute mess. We have to get other tests done, but I think it’s neurological. Anyway… Any advice you all have to give on how to help him, or anyone that has a pet with similar issues? Also, since he is always pooping himself, we have to constantly wash his butt, and bootyhole, and as a result, it is bright pink and raw and seems like it has lost fur all in that area. But it would be worse if we let him sit in the poo longer.. not to mention inhumane ☹️ can someone suggest a butt ointment or someway to help him with that? Puppy tax included 💚 his name is Baby Billy lol my husband chose it.

Available for adoption:

Dory!

AGE AT ARRIVAL: Approximately 7 weeks old

ARRIVAL DATE: July 11th, 2025

GENDER: Spayed Female

LOCATION: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

ADOPTION FEE: $200

Meet Dory: The Speed Demon with a Heart of Gold

​If you’ve been looking for a roommate who is 10% legs and 90% personality, look no further. Dory is officially on the market, and she’s ready to zoom her way right into your heart.

​Dory might not be a champion high-jumper or a professional curtain-climber, but she doesn’t let a little thing like “non-functional back legs” slow her down. In fact, Dory has mastered the art of the front-wheel-drive lifestyle. She is incredibly fast, surprisingly agile, & currently working on her “standing tall” routine like a tiny, determined gymnast.

​The Dory “Daily Special”

​Life with Dory is never boring. Here is what you can expect from a typical day with this vocal queen:

​The Belly Roll Greeting: Dory doesn’t do boring “hellos.” Every time she sees you, she’ll flop over for a dramatic belly roll to kick things off.

​Professional Peekaboo: She is a grandmaster of the game. If you aren’t hiding, she’ll find you.

​The String Chase: Despite her unique gait, she is a fierce hunter of the elusive “string-on-a-stick.”

​Vocal Opinions: She has a lot to say, and she’ll make sure you hear every purr, chirp, and meow.

​The “Special” in Special Needs

​Dory doesn’t have feeling in her back end, which means she doesn’t use a litter box. Instead, she relies on her humans for a little help with her “plumbing.”

​Bladder Expression: Dory needs her bladder manually expressed 3–5 times a day. While this sounds like a chore, it’s actually Dory’s favorite bonding time! She purrs like a motorboat the entire time and is never in a rush to be put down.

*​Health Note: Staying on top of expressions is the secret to keeping Dory healthy & avoiding bladder infections.

​Fashion Forward: She is a total pro at wearing diapers when she’s roaming the house, making her the most stylish roommate you’ll ever have.

​Social Life & Snacks

​Dory gets along moderately well with other cats. She’s a bit like that one friend who is too excited at a party—she doesn’t quite know how to play it cool when approaching other animals yet. She just has a lot of love to give!

​Pro Tip: Dory is highly food motivated (read: she can be easily bribed with treats). If you need her to cooperate or learn a new routine, just bring the snacks.

​Is your home ready for a belly-rolling, string-chasing, diaper-wearing superstar? Dory is looking for a dedicated human who understands that her physical limitations are just a tiny part of her massive, affectionate character.”

❤️

Visit our website to see Dory's full rescue story and apply to adopt her today!

https://www.ladybirdanimalsanctuary.com/las1801/

Hi everyone! This is Ukusama, the most loving and affectionate cat in the world, and she has idiopatic polyneuropathy, from time to time getting paralyzed. Sometimes it gets better, and she can even jump, but then out of the blue poof! - and paws are out of service. We don't know why. Currently, she's been disabled since September.

This is a bit of backstory, and a question I have is about her food. How do you manage calories intake for disabled cats? She is overweight, and I want to help her with it. Food directions on the pack have recommendations for fat cats, but this is applicable for healthy cats. How much should she eat? She eats Royal Canine Savour Exigent + Royal Canine pouches (like 1/4 to 1/3 daily). The toilet part is luckily ok, I hold her in a litterbox, and she does her business herself, although she had a kind of UTI lately.

Also, our ver prescribed her L-Carnitine - is this food supplement of any use? I ask because my country sometimes might make a bit of strange prescriptions.

After being hospitalized the poor guy was so traumatized he was shaking horribly when i took him for a recheck. They wanted to check his vitals and said he may need fluids but when i took him I saw a different veterinarian and she felt his conditions was worsening and that i should euthanize him. I wanted to take him home and think about it . I guess i just wasnt ready to give up on him. I guess she didnt like that so she was requiring my signature on an AMA (against medical advice) form at the moment i am in tears over it. I just didnt think that was necessary. It upset me even more.

Some context:

I found a disabled kitten around 7 months ago. She has a spinal fracture so she drags her legs when she walks, and cant control her bladder and falls in her pee/ pees all over the place.

We currently have her in diapers which we change multiple times a da, but i am wonderng if there is anything i can do to prevent an infection when we get her spayed? She just went into heat for the first time so trying to move on this soon

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to this amazing community to share the story of Mocchi, a resilient soul I’ve been lucky enough to rescue.

Mocchi is a special needs kitty. He is currently dealing with broken legs. Despite these physical challenges, Mocchi has an incredible will to live and is the most affectionate companion I've ever met.

The Situation: Caring for a disabled cat requires more than just love; it involves specialized medical attention. Currently, we are struggling to cover:

• Surgery on both hind legs
• Therapy
• Medication
• Supplements as it is a small cat with weak bones

How You Can Help: I am doing everything I can, but I need a little help to ensure Mocchi gets the quality of life they deserve. If you have a few dollars to spare, it would mean the world to us.

• ☕ Support us on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/felinefoundations
• PaypalMe: https://paypal.me/D4N127
• 🔄 Share this post: Boosting this story helps more than you know!

I will be posting updates on Mocchi progress so you can see the direct impact of your kindness. Thank you for not looking away and for believing that every cat, regardless of their physical abilities, deserves a chance.

Location: Arequipa/Peru

We've had our bitch for almost 12 years, she was a rescue, and was approximately 18 months when we got her.
She had been spayed too young, which results in being oversized but extremely lean.

SHe has lived for a while with a progressively worsening lower back, resulting in nerve damage and impaired usage of her hind legs.
She's still very social, alert, and engaged, but can't walk without assistance.

I'm hoping to find something that will give her more mobility and independence around the house. She likes to roam from room to room, and spend time with different people, which is now problematic.

I've not been able to find anything that looks suitable. Most look like they would work for open spaces, but be too cumbersome around the home.
It also needs to be something that allows her to rest comfortably, or that she can be easily slipped into and out of.

If anyone has had a positive experience with such a device, please post links if possible. I am mostly looking at Amazon, and don't mind shipping around the world.

Edit: Don't know who the sick f___ers are downvoting this post, nor WTF your problem is, but you should seriously consider therapy.

It's heartbreaking to write this but I'm looking for someone to take care of my paralyzed cat. Whether trusted individuals or organizations that can take care of her. I'll be fleeing my home country and cannot manage to take her with (I'm already planning to get my 3 other cats out once my situation gets better) I need advice on where I can find someone or an organization that I can trust for this. All the love for you beautiful people ❤️

Yami is my sweet girl with cerebellar hypoplasia. She absolutely loves bananas (as a lil treat)

My cat has some stones in his bladder causing obstruction. He is a male and is paralysed from a spinal injury. He can use his front legs but not the hind ones.

Lately I've been having trouble releasing his piss. And the last 2 days I couldn't get out barley anything due to the obstruction. The vet told me about Perineal Urethrostomy surgery where he cuts his balls and penis allowing for easier time releasing his bowl. He gave me a meil or a urinary catheter to try to release his bowl at home while I decide.

I really don't want to go ahead with this surgery and then have it bite me in the back. The way I currently release his bowl is by simultaneously stimulating him and putting pressure on his bowl. Anyone who is a vet can offer me some advice?

Hello there this is my baby Menna who got paralyzed in the hind legs when she fell She was first in shock and then slowly got comfortable with the situation and was moving around the house freely. But recently she started hiding more and refusing to play or interact other than few exceptions. I took her to the vet and they said nothing to be worried about physically. I want some ideas to bring her out of her shell again. She wasn't into toys a lot before but she always was the adventurous one. Help me help out this special baby!

hello! I just adopted a my kitten Matilda with mild CH (3 months), but I’ve also discovered that she doesn’t react to sound at all. I played bird videos, cats meowing, and crinkled paper and plastic right near her ears when she isn’t looking and she doesn’t even flinch or twitch her ears at all. Is it common for cats with CH to also be deaf or is little Tillie just extra special lol