When Anna Dickerson-Homan was contacted about a five-week-old kitten who was neglected and living in an unhealthy environment, she knew she had to help the little cat. “She was born into a situation where there were/are many cats who need to be fixed, living in a small space and breeding with each other,” explains Anna.
Thankfully, Anna — who is an experienced cat fosterer in Roscommon, Michigan — rescued the young feline in early November 2021, with her help coming not a moment too soon. Not only was the five-week-old cat covered in feces, urine, and fleas, she had tapeworms and was anemic and malnourished. “She needed someone with time and resources to help her live her best life,” says Anna.
Anna took Rosie to the vet, and examination revealed she was born without the last third of her spine, making her unable to urinate or defecate on her own. “Her bladder and bowels had never been emptied and so she was in severe discomfort,” remembers Anna, and the veterinarian diagnosed Rosie with Manx syndrome, a congenital condition that causes some — not all — tailless cats to have spinal issues. “Manx Syndrome is a spinal defect that is a sort of umbrella term for the comorbidities related to the shortened spine. Things like incontinence, a wide gait, IBS, hopping like a bunny, and of course — no tail — are included in that collection of comorbidities.”
Read the rest of our article about Rosie on our website: www.meow.af/rosiecat