Welcome to Kitty Cat Chronicles!
The “kitty cat chronicles” began seven years ago when my husband and I adopted Delilah (our first fur baby), and it’s been a non-stop feline frenzy since then.When I started this blog, we only had three cats. Now we have seven, AND two sugar gliders! Let’s just say that there is never a dull moment in our house.
Because three of our cats are special-needs, or handicats, raising awareness about special-needs animals is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I am constantly learning and sharing about cerebellar hypoplasia and FIV, and I hope that by doing so, I can help even just one other person with their handicat.
It was actually Sophie (my cat with cerebellar hypoplasia) that inspired the beginnings of the KCC Adventure Team. We started off by taking her out in our back yard, and eventually progressed to visiting local parks and even camping and canoeing with her. She has since been joined by Kylo Ren, Caster, and Sassy. Adventuring and traveling with cats is one of my favorite things, and one of my biggest goals with this blog is to inspire others to break the mold and start taking their cats out on adventures.
Delilah
Meet Delilah! She is the first cat that I got on my own as an adult. She was actually a Christmas gift from my husband (then fiancé) and his parents. She is now seven years old, and she is such a sweetheart. She is also one of the smartest cats. She LOVES music and can often be found on Bobby’s shoulders as he practices guitar or my shoulders as I practice piano. She also loves to sleep above my head on my pillow at night.
Unfortunately, Delilah has severe patella luxation (“floating kneecaps”) in both of her back legs. She sometimes has trouble getting around and experiences some pain every now and then, but we are doing our best to manage it.
Despite her bad knees, Deli still remains the sweetest of the sweet, and she’s mommy’s little girl 🙂
Sampson
This is Sampson! He is the second addition to our family, is six years old, and is the most loving and gentle cat there is. Though he sometimes instigates trouble, makes messes, and steals our food, he also wins the hearts of everyone he meets. Sampy is a jack of all trades – a singer, an acrobat, a suckler (the neck is his favorite suckle spot). He is also a master conversationalist. Underneath it all, he is one big lover boy. He would be happy spending his days cuddled up beside me.
Sampy is a wonderful brother to have – he is always looking out for everyone else. And he knows that little sister Sophie can’t clean herself very well, so he gives her daily baths. He is so sweet and thoughtful!
Sophie
And here is Sophie, aka “The Weebs!” She is almost seven years old and is the founding member of the KCC Adventure Team. She has got to be the most happy-go-lucky cat that I’ve ever come across. She walks around with a constant smile on her face, and nothing ever seems to get her down or annoyed. Everything is a toy to Sophie, and the world is her playground – seriously! She loves going on adventures around our town, and has even traveled as far as Nashville! She is also one of the loviest kitties.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention – Sophie has cerebellar hypoplasia. She has a mild-moderate case, and it causes her to be unstable and wobbly (hence the nickname). While she may not be able to walk a straight line or run down the hallway without falling over, she does not ever seem to be hindered by her “disability.” She gets knocked down, but she gets up again. Over and over 🙂
Sassy
This beautiful girl is Sassy. She came to us in November of 2013, and the vet estimated that she was about 2-3 years old at the time. She started living on our back porch, and naturally we started feeding her. After putting up flyers in hopes of finding her family and getting no response, we took her to the vet to get all the shots and other necessary things so she could come inside and join our family. Unfortunately, she tested positive for FIV. However, that does not get her down! She is strong and healthy, and she definitely lives up to her name — there’s not a sassier kitty out there. She is also extremely lovey and sweet – she’s a huge drooler!
Sassy has to be kept separate from our other cats, unfortunately, because she is aggressive towards other cats. She has her own awesome living quarters though and gets lots of time with “Mom” and “Dad.” She also just recently joined the KCC Adventure Team!
Kylo Ren
This adorable guy is Kylo Ren – “The Baby” of the family. He was a Valentine’s Day gift from my husband in 2016, and a total surprise! He seamlessly fit into our family, and I am absolutely in love with this little guy. He has so much spunk and loves to wrestle and get into trouble with his big brothers. It has been so much fun having that kitten energy in the house again. Yes, even at 3 years old, Kylo still acts like a kitten.
Kylo Ren is also a natural adventure cat and is an official member of the KCC Adventure Team! He loves to walk on his leash and follow trails and paths. He enjoys a good boat ride down the river too 🙂 When he’s not adventuring, he is snuggled up in my lap – a big mama’s boy!
Radagast
Radagast, or Raddy, is the newest addition to the family. We adopted him in June of 2017. He is about 3 years old now. Like Sampson, Raddy is a sweet and gentle soul. He is a friend to everyone and loves a good snuggle.
Raddy is also a handicat. He has disabled back legs. They don’t stretch out all the way, so he is in a perpetual sitting position. He gets around very well though, and is a professional climber! Though we aren’t sure of the cause of Raddy’s disability, our vet suspects abuse. It breaks our heart to think that he might have suffered at the hands of some cruel person, but we know that he is happy and loved now!
Gryphon
Gryphon is our newest addition to the family. He started off as a foster, but we just couldn’t give him up. He is about 4 months old and a big ball of energy. He loves running around the house and wrestling with the other kitties. When he wears himself out though, he wants nothing more than to snuggle with Bobby or me. He is also in training to be on the KCC Adventure Team!
Jubilee & Sydney
Jubie and Syd are our two sugar gliders. They’ve been a part of our family for 3 years now. It has been so much fun bonding with them and watching them grow. Being an exotic pet, they are on the high-maintenance side, but I love them dearly! Right now I am trying to train them to “fly.”
Though they aren’t regulars on the blog, they do make a guest appearance every now and then 🙂
Lucy (Now over the Rainbow Bridge)
Lucy came to us at Christmas, 2015. She belonged to my parents and is one of my childhood pets. My parents asked us if we would accept her into our family, as one of their other dogs was attacking Lucy, and my parents feared for her safety. We of course said YES!
Lucy is almost 18 years old and suffers from pancreatitis, but you would never know it. She still plays and acts like a puppy! Before joining our family, she had never been around cats before, but she has taken to them very well. She can sometimes even be found cuddling with them! And of course, she loves going out on adventures with the KCC Adventure Team.
*Lucy crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on July 27, 2018. She lives on in our hearts though!
Caster (Now over the Rainbow Bridge)
This is Caster, our “wild child.” He is about six years old. I found him distressed and crying in the woods behind our apartment building in January of 2014. He seemed lost and scared, so I brought him inside, so sure that his family must be missing him. After having no luck finding his family, we of course welcomed him into ours.
Caster’s nickname is “Curmudgeon” or “Mudge,” if that tells you anything about his personality – big, surly, and stubborn. He loves to spend his days wrestling, play fighting, and instigating trouble. Oh, and did I mention he climbs the walls- literally?! He may be a wild and crazy during the day, but at night he turns into a big lover boy can can occasionally be found underneath a fleecy blanket cuddling and suckling. (Shhh… don’t tell him I told you that 😉 Caster bring so many laughs to our family – he has been a great addition and we couldn’t be happier to have him.
Caster used to be a part of the KCC Adventure Team, but due to recently health issues, he has “retired.” I remain hopeful that he will be able to start adventuring again one day though.
*Caster crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on August 23, 2019. He will live on in our hearts forever.
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