In the summer of 2021, a rescue worker in Northern Virginia came across a cat with a disease.
“It’s very rounded, to the point where it’s a little oddly shaped,” she said. – “It’s like a teardrop, but it’s flat on the bottom.”
She soon found out: why? He could not drink! The only way he could drink was to drop by drop from a miracle teat—a detailed process for both her and Leo, as he was soon called.
Leo wasn’t losing weight or gaining weight on this diet, so they made an appointment with the vet. After being examined, Leo was prescribed antibiotics to deal with an upper respiratory infection and other medications to deal with digestive issues. Penny also started giving him different formula milk to see if he would prefer them to what he was drinking now.
Penny said that Leo is an “adorable cat” who loves being around people. He’s also very playful, despite his health problems.
“He’s just a joy,” she said. “I’m so glad we were able to help him.”
The kitten, who was previously struggling, began to show signs of improvement after a few days. His nose quickly cleared, and he discovered his sense of smell again, showing great interest in his surroundings through his nose.
“As he gets older and stronger, he starts to explore more. He doesn’t sleep as much and walks everywhere,” Penny said. “He loves to sniff everything.”
Although Leo’s health was improving, he had several roadblocks. For example, he was frequently constipated, and Penny noticed that some body parts were not developing correctly compared to his size. His ears stayed small, and his teeth had still not come in.
“The biggest thing we were concerned about was that he wasn’t growing,” Penny said. “He was behind on his milestones.”
Later, Penny found out what illness Leo had. As a result of hypothyroidism, he has always been “exceptional” because the disease caused him to have developmental delays and other symptoms.
“He’s just a little different,” Penny said. “But he’s perfect to us.”
As the medicine began to take effect, Leo’s condition improved not just over days but hours. He started eating soft food and first attempted to use the tray independently.
“We saw a big change in him,” Penny said. “He was coming out of his shell.”
Penny said that Leo is an “adorable cat” who loves being around people. He’s also very playful, despite his health pro proper.
Leo’s story is one of hope and resilience, showing that even the sickest animals can recover fully with the proper care and treatment.
