Stella Stiletto started her life like most cats with four
feet. I believe she was born in 1998 but no one knows for
sure. From all accounts she was a happy little kitten but
over time developed a habit that she retains, even to this
day, of rubbing her head on most anything.
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Stella loves to rub her head on her new friend... the
remote
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In 2004, so I am told, her past “owners” brought
her to a Vet and had her de-clawed because she was scratching
her head repeatedly behind her ears and they were worried
she was hurting herself. That was the day that Stella, then
named Molly, said good bye to her claws in what should have
been a routine yet needless operation. Stella’s rehab
did not go well and within days both rear feet had become
so infected that they had to be removed.
From this point on details are a bit fuzzy. From what I
have determined Stella’s owners seemed uninterested
in dealing with a footless cat with special needs. The Vet
who had done the declawing agreed to keep her and bring her
back to health. He planned to bring Stella home once his current
cat died. Two years later Stella was still living under the
Vets desk and his other cat continues healthily on - WITH
ALL HIS FEET! Worst of all - the floors in the office were
very slick tile and Stella had trouble getting around without
slipping.
I discovered Stella when my late cat Steven (The best cat
ever) was at the vets just before his death from bladder cancer.
I asked about adopting her. As a child I spent many years
on crutches and I sort of related to her plight.
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Steven, the best cat ever, had 4 feet
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Once Stella was home, the first order of business was to
rehab my loft so Stella could navigate.
This meant building a ramp up the steps, adding footstools
near the bed and runners for her to walk on. A cat with no
back feet has no ability to jumps so steps, getting on the
bed and sitting on chairs are a problem. Stella now navigates
the entire loft and hopes to become a spokes-cat for disabled
but rehabable pets everywhere.
She is now looking for an agent and reading scripts. Stella
hopes to turn her story into an Afternoon Special.
Stella
Facts:
Weight - 9.6 pounds
Length - 15.5 inches
Favorite toy - TV remote
Likes to sleep in the closet
Greenish-Gold Eyes
Has a bobbed tail from birth
Likes to eat only dry food
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