Eleven months ago I took this little creature home. She was living under a damp and dirty deck with the rest of her litter and mother, a local stay. She was the runt and had been pushed away from her mother and not getting milk. I’d been feeding her and the other kittens chicken baby food for two weeks prior whenever I could get to them but when I showed up that fateful night something was different, just not right. Her leg was swollen and she was listless. So I took her home on impulse, naming her Yoda because she looked like a little alien. That night she slept on my shoulder but after just an hour I was sweating, she was producing that much heat.





The next day I took her to the vet to find out just how bad a shape Yoda was in. Her leg had swollen up like a balloon, red and shiny. It appeared that she’d been attacked by a racoon, causing a severe infection which had to be lanced twice. The first lancing was so severe she had to be anesthetized for several hours to get through the pain. She was provided human strength antibiotics for weeks in deal with the infection, due to the severity. She had barely any hair, it having either not grown or fallen out. She was only ten ounces, half the weight she should have been at one month, severely malnourished and dehydrated because of an extreme fever. According to the vet had I not taken her home that night she would have been dead by the next. So once again I took Yoda home to wait and see if she’d lose her leg or even survive.





But survive she did. For the first week or so I spent almost 24 hours a day with her, ensuring she was getting her food- including a special food for animals in states of health emergencies- was comfortable and safe. She started to slowly gain weight, her hair came in, her leg healed and she lost the limp. Yoda became playful, strong and brave.While she’s still half the size she should be, stunted from her early life and she chirps like a bird instead of meows, Yoda has a full bill of health. And honestly, I’ve never seen a cat like her.





Yoda now travels with me back and forth from my hometown to my university, completely content about it as long as she’s with me. She meets me at the door everyday, and just like that first night still sleeps on my chest or right next to me on my dresser. She comes when I call her, plays fetch with a crinkle ball toy, gives kisses when asked and is happy to be in my arms whenever possible-usually when I’m trying to do something. She understands that when I’m anxious I need physical contact and will spend hours laying right next to me, her body pressed against mine. Just yesterday when I had a terrible day she laid down on the bed next to me and licked the tears off my cheeks as they fell.







I don’t know what possessed me to bring her home that night, all those months ago. I wasn’t even supposed to have been there. But I’m amazingly glad I was allowed this little miracle. Here’s to an amazing year of transformation and hopefully many more! Happy birthday Yoda!.



