Soon after Georgie Price and her fiancé Chris Lardner adopted their senior cat Herbie, he unexpectedly died from a ruptured tumor.
But instead of being reluctant to adopt an older cat again for fear of their health issues, the couple decided to look for another special needs cat and give them a good life for however long they still had left, in honor of Herbie.
So they headed to their local shelter to see if there were any cats that needed a special home.
And that’s when they found Toby and Quinton.
Bonded brothers
Toby and Quinton were found huddled together in a household that was reported to be overrun with cats.
They were both very shy and scared, and two weeks after meeting the brothers, Georgie and Chris took them home.
Both cats had medical issues, Quinton had a terrible abscess in his mouth which meant that all his teeth had to be removed.
Toby has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which is an “inherited connective tissue disorder” which causes the collagen production in cats, and humans, to be defective.
For cats, this results in an increased elasticity of their skin to the point where it can hang low in places, which can be seen around Toby’s face.
But these conditions didn’t stop Georgie and Chris from giving the cats all of their love. They even nicked named them Tummy (Toby) and Gummy (Quinton) as a cute nod to their special needs.
Heartbreakingly, Quinton was diagnosed with an aggressive form of oral cancer in 2020.
He only lived for another six weeks after his diagnosis, but his last weeks were filled with love and joy from Georgie, Chris, and Toby.
The “EDS crew”
Georgie, Chris, and Toby were devastated after losing Quinton.
Having been bonded to Quinton, likely since he was born, Georgie and Chris were worried about how lonely and depressed Toby had become.
So they decided to once again open their hearts to another special needs cat.
They wanted to find a little “apprentice” for Toby, a cat that he could take under his wing and give him a new lease on life.
Enter Leo!
Leo was 18 months old when he was welcomed into the family, he also has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
The reason he doesn’t look like Toby is because the condition can effect different cats differently.
Although Toby’s condition appears more “severe” because of the elasticity of his skin, Leo actually has weaker skin which is more likely to tear, putting him at increased risk for injuries.
Toby was wary of Leo at first, keeping his distance, but eventually he warmed up to his adopted brother.
Since adopting Leo, Georgie and Chris have added another cat to their Ehlers Danlos syndrome kitty crew.
The “EDS crew” now includes, Toby, Leo, and Chino, the newest arrival to the gang.
Georgie and Chris continue to devote their time to these beautiful cats, making sure that they have the best life possible while they’re with them.