May 1998: Miranda, better known to her foster mom as "Katie" Scarlet O'Hara and to others as "Broken Kitty," was rescued with her mom and five siblings from impending death at a local traditional shelter when she was just 5-weeks old. All the kittens were healthy and active except for her, and it was soon discovered she had a spinal cord injury affecting the movement of her rear legs. The origin of the injury is unknown and the full extent of her injuries cannot be determined fully until 1 year after the injury (June 1999). Nerve damage is slow to heal, and it is unlikely that she will ever walk normally.

At present, she is loving, playful, and spunky! Nothing stops her from doing what she wants to do or going where she wants to go. Her left rear leg works better than the right one but she often relies on her strong front legs (as well as her strong will!). She uses the litter box faithfully but because of the decreased sensation to her back legs, does not realize that she is not all the way in before she starts to go. The only problem in her eyes is that she can't jump like the other kitties she lives with!

Medically, she has a constant battle with urinary tract infections. Her spinal cord injury affects the nerves to the bladder which does not allow for complete emptying when using the litter box. Numerous antibiotics have been tried, but none have cleared up the problem entirely. A special prescription diet also helps. She must have her urine tested every 2-3 weeks. Because of these ongoing medical expenses and required special diet, she has been placed into the PAWTNER program.

Proverbs 12:10

A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

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