This cat survived Fading Kitten Syndrome and is now a fiend for food

Phineas was born to his rescue cat mother Pumpkin, while she was being fostered until her litter was born and old enough to be adopted out.

Little Phineas was the runt of the litter, and had a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia.

This is the result of the cerebellum of a cats brain not developing fully, and effects their fine motor skills, co-ordination, and balance.

The condition is not painful and cats who have this can lead full and healthy lives in the future.

Just like Phineas grew up to have.

Ginger mother cat laying in a cat bed with one of her ginger kittens by her belly
Mama Pumpkin and her kitten that would grow up to be Phineas. Pic credit: @fosterkittys/Instagram.

But when he was still a kitten, whether he would grow up at all was not a certainty.

Fading kitten syndrome

Pumpkin gave birth to five kittens, including Phineas, so there were many mouths to feed.

And Phineas being the runt of the litter needed some extra care from his foster mom, Debbie Harris, to survive.

When Phineas was still a newborn, he began showing the symptoms of Fading Kitten Syndrome (FKS).

Fading Kitten Syndrome is “a collection of signs that develop in neonatal (newborn) kittens and signify their rapidly declining health.”.

Some of these signs are; a very low birth weight, an inability to nurse properly, being abandoned by their mother, and hypothermia.

Thankfully Harris was able to recognize the signs and step in before it was too late.

But even then, Phineas nearly didn’t make it.

Although once he did, he was adopted into his loving forever home where he took full advantage of his newfound health.

Foodie feline

Phineas was adopted into his forever home by Collin Anderson, a man who studies the cerebellum in his professional life, making him the perfect caregiver for Phineas.

He joined Anderson’s already adopted pets, a dog named Holly and a similar looking ginger cat named Tyrion.

And straight away, he fit right in.

A brown dog lays under a blanket in the foreground as a long haired ginger cat lays on top of the blanket beside him. There is another ginger cat poking his head up as he lays on top of the blanket behind the dog.
Can you spot them all? That’s Phineas in the back, Holly snuggled under the blanket on the left, and Tyrion on the right. Pic credit: @orangeisthenewblackandtan/Instagram.

Phineas also started to show an unending hunger for food!

Whether this is because of his history with Fading Kitten Syndrome, or because he just loves causing trouble is hard to know.

Either way his behavior is very entertaining.

Phineas survived against the odds, and now wreaks havoc to get to any food he smells near him.

Ginger cat with food on his face being held by his owner.
Caught in the act! Pic credit: @orangeisthenewblackandtan/Instagram.

5 1 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x