Upon receiving two kittens from his colleague who had been abandoned by their mother, Roland Huddleston quickly observed that the female feline exhibited signs of paralysis unlike her male sibling. Roland recounts that one of his coworkers had a farm cat that had delivered six kittens not long ago.
@elle_the_crippled_cat on Instagram shared a heartwarming image of two kittens who were abandoned by their mother when they were just three weeks old. Luckily, Roland’s coworker took them in and brought them to work to ensure they received the proper care and attention needed to thrive.
Roland fell in love with a special needs kitten after spending a day with her. He talked to his partner, Kristen, about the possibility of adopting her. They decided to ask if they could provide a home for her. Finally, in September 2015, the adorable Siamese cat became a part of their family when she was only four weeks old.
The adorable kitten, now known as Elle after the Stranger Things character Eleven, was adopted by Roland and Kristen. They were not familiar with caring for a cat with special needs as they didn’t have any prior experience. Elle suffered from hind leg paralysis and incontinence. The couple chose to take her to a local vet in Red Deer Alberta, Canada, to find out more about her condition.
According to Roland, a series of examinations were conducted on Elle and the results showed that her spine had a curve and there were spaces between some of her vertebrae. In addition, she also had a hip dislocation and a stain of blood on her fur near her hind legs.
Elle, the adorable feline on Instagram with the handle @elle_the_crippled_cat, had her hind legs paralyzed, but it’s unclear whether she was born that way or if it was due to an injury suffered shortly after birth. Her owners, Roland and Kristen, also discovered that she was incontinent, which led to them learning how to help her with bladder and bowel relief. Roland describes the process as easy once you know how to do it.
Elle, the charming cat with a disability, found her forever home with the assistance of Roland and Kristen. Despite her handicap, she didn’t let it slow her down and made an effort to demonstrate to her new parents that she was as cheerful and lively as any other kitten. Elle’s determination, however, resulted in a severe injury when she was only four months old. She broke one of her legs at the knee while attempting to leap from Roland’s arms on the way to her laser therapy session.
Good news is that Elle recuperated completely after her accident. However, she encountered another medical problem called a seroma. This condition involves the accumulation of fluid beneath the skin’s surface, and Elle developed it when she jumped from a high place once again. To help drain the fluid away, a tube was placed in her body for two weeks. Kristen and Roland, who had already taken numerous precautions to make their home a safe place for Elle, wanted to ensure that she doesn’t face any potential risks.
After five long years of searching, Elle the cat finally found her forever home and is now living her best life. Thanks to the unwavering efforts of her new owners, Elle is in excellent health and thriving. She loves to play with toys, spend time outside under supervision, and watch birds. Climbing is one of her favorite activities, and she’s quite skilled at it. Zooming around like any other cat also brings her great joy. Roland, Elle’s owner, expresses his happiness at seeing her doing so well.
This sociable young lady takes pleasure in frolicking and snuggling with her fellow feline housemates, including Apollo, her adopted sibling who shares her condition of incontinence and hind leg paralysis. Despite their special needs, taking care of Elle and Apollo is not as arduous or time-consuming as some may presume, according to Roland. “Truthfully, it’s not that hard,” remarks Roland. “If you love your pet, you’ll want to spend time with them, and that’s all that’s required – carving out some time in your day to assist them with tasks they cannot perform.”
The adorable duo, Elle and Apollo, require regular bladder and bowel expression which can make going on vacation a bit tricky. Roland mentions that it can be quite challenging to be away from home without an experienced cat sitter who understands the unique needs of special needs animals like Elle and Apollo. However, despite the extra effort and consideration required, Roland believes that they are definitely worth it as they are very inspiring cats!
Regrettably, Roland and Kristen faced criticism when they adopted Elle in 2015 as some people believed they were subjecting her to hardships. However, Elle has defied all odds and demonstrated her resilience over the past six years. Thanks to social media, Elle has been able to make a positive impact on the lives of other cats with similar disabilities, possibly even saving them.
According to Roland, the popularity of Elle, the crippled cat on Instagram, has enabled them to extend help and counsel to people worldwide who may have encountered felines in similar circumstances. In some cases, they may have received recommendations from veterinarians to put their cats down to ease their suffering.
Elle has undoubtedly influenced individuals to contemplate adopting pets with unique requirements, possibly preventing numerous animals from being put down unnecessarily. However, there’s no one she has motivated more than her father. Roland states, “Elle is a source of inspiration for me from the time I wake up until I put her to bed at night.”
If you’re interested in discovering more about this gorgeous feline, be sure to check out Elle’s social media accounts on both Instagram and Facebook. She is certainly a sight to behold!
