Ceb found himself being cared for by Danielle at her foster home in Winter Park, Florida: Central Florida Foster Kittens. They have an Instagram page. He was an interesting little boy kitten because he had a tough start in life, which resulted in him having no tail because of a condition called Manx syndrome (the same condition which causes the Manx cat breed) and big ears in relation to his size which was stunted. At nine-weeks-of-age he was the size of a three-week-old kitten. He was one quarter of the size of his siblings. Danielle his foster carer did a wondrous job in caring for him. It was intended that he be adopted but read on.
Manx syndrome describes a range of illnesses and conditions caused by the inheritance of a genetic mutation. It can cause incontinence and painful infections. We are told that he had difficulty absorbing nutrients from the food he was provided with, which stunted his growth. He was given very high quality food with supplements and medication. Veterinary tests indicated he suffered from a gastrointestinal infection (GI). At his foster home he made friends with an adult ginger tabby called Rae. They snuggled up together. They also found that his gastrointestinal infection was due to chronic inflammation. Comment: is this an infection caused by chronic inflammation or chronic inflammation causing an infection? Whatever, Manx-type cats have health issues. Good news; his treatment worked and he gained weight. His foster carer was happy to see him thrive. I have learned that she fed him a raw diet which she believes helped. Raw diets are a good idea for intestinal tract issues such as IBD. They are worth trying. She used Darwin’s. At the age of five months he weighed 3.25 pounds. His energy levels went up as well.
He was never adopted because Danielle decided that he should stay with her and I can understand that decision as he is adorable (as the video shows). He wriggled his way into her heart, she said. She’s made him laugh and cry and lose “countless hours” sleep. But it’s all been worth it. She couldn’t let him go because he had brought her so much joy and love and he reminded her that she must never give up. He has blossomed into a handsome adult tuxedo cat who is deeply loved.
