Gus - Cerebellar Hypoplasia

Meet Gus! This special guy is sweet, spunky, and full of energy. Gus loves toys (especially noisy ones), crinkly tunnels, cardboard scratchers, lounging by the fireplace, other cats, and attention from his favorite people. He is quite vocal and loves to chat, especially in the morning when he is (not very) patiently waiting for his breakfast. Gus loves other cats and lives with 3 non-CH cats in his foster home.

Gus is like other kittens in many ways, but he gets around differently than most. Gus has cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), often called wobbly cat syndrome. CH is a neurological condition that affects balance and coordination. It is not contagious, not painful, and non-progressive, meaning it will not worsen over time. Gus' CH is moderate, and he does not require medication or special medical treatment.

Gus is incredibly resilient and has adapted well to his mobility differences. He can walk or run a few steps at a time unassisted (no more than 5-10 steps, typically), but mostly scoots around, relying on his front legs to pull himself forward. His back legs are strong, but he has less control over them. Gus loves to wrestle and pounce but frequently flops over. He cannot safely navigate stairs and needs supervision when on high furniture. He loves to play outside (fully supervised) in the grass. He does his best to hunt pesky bugs and birds, although he's never caught anything!

Gus is litterbox trained and does a great job getting in and out of the box himself. He doesn't know life any other way and is happy and sweet-tempered with the loudest purr. Our lovable guy will have a full, high-quality life, but he does need a home willing to make a few accommodations for his safety and comfort, such as:

A stable, cat-safe space without tall furniture he could fall from. In his foster home, he has a soft-sided playpen that he spends time in when he needs to be contained.

Easy-access/low-entry litter boxes

Soft landing spots, rugs, or non-slip mats

No stairs, or the ability to block his access to stairs

A caretaker willing to give him occasional baths

A family that understands his mobility needs and celebrates everything that makes him unique!

The adoption process for this sweet boy will require two meetings - a preliminary meeting at his foster home in Akron, followed by a home visit to ensure safe surroundings in his new home. The first two weeks of his adoption will be considered a trial to ensure his new owners are comfortable with his needs and level of care. Gus' ideal home would have experience with caring for disabled animals.

Gus' adoption fee of $100 includes a negative test for Feline Leukemia (FELV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), neuter surgery, feline leukemia, FVRCP, and Rabies vaccines, de-worming, topical flea protection, and a microchip. Gus is about one year old.

For those viewing on Petfinder, please apply by clicking on More About Rose's Rescue - you may fill out adoption application from there. Or, go to the Rose's Rescue website, www.rosesrescue.net, and click on Fees - Adoption Info - Online Application. T hank you for considering adoption - our adoptable cats can't wait to meet you!