A Big Part of the Reason SNUGGLE Pet Rescue Exists

When our Founder, Sharon Maag, first started SNUGGLE Pet Rescue, because of the extra special spot in her heart for kittens with special needs, she wanted the organization to help these deserving babies live. These were the ones born with some type of birth defect. So often we hear Sharon say, "You don't have to be whole to be happy." And that is exactly what our team strives for every day, to make sure all of our fosters are happy, and especially those who will have additional challenges to face during their lifetime.

Bartolomew is already a miracle kitten who seems overjoyed to be alive. In the approximate 6-weeks since he was born, somehow, he has managed to survive being a part of a feral cat colony in Springfield, Missouri. Someone spotted him last week and immediately recognized there was something not quite right with him. Thankfully, he was able to be caught, and his rescuers took him immediately to a veterinary hospital. Searching for an organization that specializes in long term care of special needs kittens and puppies, one of the hospital staff members got in touch with us to see if we would take Bartolomew. We couldn't wait to get the little fellow.

Bartolomew, or Bart for short, arrived on Saturday. Right away we recognized this tiny guy had a really big personality. He also has his fair share of feistiness, which is probably part of the reason he has survived this long. We have no information on his mother, but one cat or another was definitely keeping him fed and probably keeping a watchful eye on him. A kitten like Bart is a prime target for predators. So, it's either been a whole lot of luck or incredible survival instincts that made it possible for Bart to end up with us.

What we know about Bart's medical condition right now is that he has a cleft palate. He also has a still partially open fontanelle which is the soft spot on a newborn's head which, during birth, enable the bony plates of the skull to flex, allowing the kitten's head to pass through the birth canal. There is something going on with Bart's eyes too. They appear not to be attached in the back as they should, plus they are further apart than they should be. His ears are also too far apart. The last thing is that Bart is not real steady on his feet, which he certainly should be at his age.

We have an appointment with our primary vet on Wednesday to get some answers. He has extensive experience from helping other special needs kittens and puppies so we are looking forward to getting some answers and having a clearer idea of the kind of help we will be able to give Bart.