Roo was found as a kitten living in a dirty garage all by himself, unable to use his back legs.
He was scared to death, dragging himself. When I saw him it was crazy. He could barely move.
Shanta, Roo’s forever mom.
The woman who fostered Roo, and eventually adopted him too, didn’t know what was wrong with him.
She had a great deal of experience fostering cats and kittens for years, but she didn’t have an inkling as to what could be afflicting him.
After a trip to the vet, and a lot of tests, she discovered what it was.
A rare disease
When Shanta brought Roo to the vet, they estimated that he had two weeks to live.
Roo has Feline Mucopolysaccharidosis, or MPS, which “affects the enzyme that helps produced new cells”, meaning that Roo’s body does not renew itself.
Some of the symptoms of this disease, and those that confounded Shanta when she first saw him, are stunted growth, joint stiffness, corneal clouding, and skeletal deformities.
All of which Roo exhibited.
“I wanted to see him outlive the time expectancy that he had been given. And not just to outlive it, but crush it.”
Shanta, Roo’s forever mom.
Shanta was determined to give Roo every chance at life, so she started him on some specialized therapies, supplements, and a special diet.
Most importantly, Shanta’s son Tobias took charge of making sure Roo got the love and care he needed to pull through.
The best care
Shanta’s son Tobias wanted nothing more than to help Roo get better.
And he did this by cuddling with him, and reading him stories to make him feel safe and loved.
Roo loved spending time with Tobias, he started purring and making biscuits, hanging on every word!
And he still does.
Despite the odds and the rare nature of his disease, Roo is now three years old and still going strong!
The amazing care Shanta and her family have given to Roo has extended his life well beyond what his vet initially thought possible.
Their dedication to improving the health of this little cat has saved him, and given him a life full of comfort and love.
Roo’s story is a beautiful example of how much of a positive impact humans can have in the life of cats.
And how much joy cats can bring to us in return.
