Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/grandpa-the-kitten/
When it comes to picking a name for your pet, the decision isn’t a light one to be made. You want something that is unique but that also catches a sense of their personality.
For most of us, naming a newborn kitten “Grandpa” might seem a little strange, but when Stephanie Medrano first encountered the tiny little foster, she knew immediately that the name was a fitting one.
The little white kitten looked exactly like a grandpa, with his little scrunched-up face that made him look like an old man.
As Medrano explained to The Dodo, “When I foster kittens, I try to give them funny names like Turtle or Starfish, but when Grandpa was handed to me, that was the first name I thought of when I saw his little face. I had no idea it would be such a hit and [would] actually match his personality so much.”
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Medrano further elaborated that the little kitten came to her after a friend called her to help out with the little special needs kitten. Grandpa had been born with his back legs bent backward and a cleft palate. At the time, the kitten’s owners had taken him to the vet where they were informed that he might not survive, and euthanasia might be the kindest option.
But Medrano stated, “They did not want to put the kitten down and informed my friend of what happened — she called me right away.”
Aided by the help of Stray Cat Alliance, Medrano brought Grandpa home and started the long process of putting him on a feeding schedule every two hours using tube feedings. She also would stretch Grandpa’s twisted back legs as well.
Speaking on his physical therapy, she said, “This happens when the tendon is short so it pulls the leg backward instead of forward. I stretch and massage his legs forward multiple times a day … When he is older, if there is more improvement to be made, he will see a specialist for this.”
As far as his cleft palate, that would be fixed eventually once the kitten grew big enough to undergo the procedure.
But little Grandpa was quite determined to grow big and strong – even though that includes tons of naps. As Medrano shared, she nicknamed him “Gramps” because he enjoys sleeping so much.
You can follow Grandpa on Instagram to keep up with him, @grandpa.the.kitten.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
