How This Special Kitten’s Short Life Changed His Rescuers’ Lives Forever

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One hot summer day a family on a road trip was crossing through Black Rock, Arkansas when they saw an infant kitten on the side of the road.

As they approached the kitten, they realized he couldn’t move…

They put their road trip on pause to get this get this sweet baby the help he needed.

Keep reading to discover how this small act of kindness led to a beautiful bond and an incredible legacy.

A Shocking Discovery

The kitten was merely an infant. Kittens his age belonged with their mother where they could nurse.

How did this sweet boy end up alone and injured? No one was certain, but one thing was for sure – he needed help immediately.

The family began to research a quality rescue nearby.

They discovered Whiskers 316, a kitten rescue in Northeast Arkansas founded by friends Julie and Cara.

After the family reached out to Whiskers 316 online, they met up with Julie to bring her the kitten.

Mr. Nibbs

“This little girl was carrying him, and she said ‘he was crying and I held his little paws and he would nibble on my fingers, so I called him Nibbles’,” Julie shared. “It was the cutest thing, so I said we’ll call him Nibbles!”

Nibbles was then taken into care by Whiskers 316. He was known as Mr. Nibbs for short.

Julie and Cara estimated Mr. Nibbs was about 3 weeks old.

The poor baby could not move without dragging his legs behind him.

Shortly after receiving him, Julie noticed his tail would sometimes slightly move.

She tried putting pressure on his back paws and realized sometimes he would push back, ever so slightly.

This tiny bit of movement gave them hope, but they needed a professional opinion.

Staying Hopeful

When they realized he might be able to move, they took him to the vet to see if anything could be done.

Sadly, the first vet that they went to said there wasn’t anything they could do to help Nibbles.

In fact, the vet recommended he be euthanized.

Julie wasn’t going to give up that easy. She went to another vet for a second opinion.

“We thought, ‘we’re going to keep on trying and give him a chance’.” Julie shared. “So, we kept on with his physical therapy and then took him to another vet.”

After seeing what movement Nibbles could manage, this second vet took more x-rays.

The vet determined Nibbles had a broken back and spinal cord injury, which was what limited his movement. 

However, she was very encouraged by the little movement he demonstrated and said he might be able to make a partial recovery.

A Second Chance

Staying hopeful, Julie and Cara were determined to give Mr. Nibbs the best life he could possibly have. 

“Nothing held him back,” Julie said. “He didn’t walk perfect, he always had a funny little limp and drag. But, he would run and play and jump and climb.”

He worked hard to keep up with the other cats and learned to use his upper body to get around.

In fact, his upper body was very strong! This earned him the nickname ‘Muscles’. 

Mr. Nibbs did not have control of his bowels, so Julie and Cara had to stimulate him to use the restroom.

They didn’t mind, however. He was so sweet and gentle. They would do anything for him!

Mr. Nibbs brought great joy to Julie and Cara. He was certainly a favorite. They fell more in love with him each passing day.

He was a very special cat. Julie described him as, “The best cat ever!”

Mr. Nibbs knew these women had saved his life. He would show his appreciation with snuggles and soft purrs.

A Beautiful Life

Mr. Nibbs never let his legs hold him back.

However, he had a gastrointestinal condition that became more problematic as time went on.

Nibbles had feline inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, which caused him to go through bouts of serious pain.

At first, a visit to the vet would solve this.

But, as time progressed, his IBD only worsened.

It was clear Nibbles was suffering.

It broke Cara and Julie’s heart to see him in so much pain.

“It finally came to a point where nothing would work, and we couldn’t get him well,” Julie said. “We did everything we possibly could for him.”

Sadly, the day arrived when Nibbles crossed the rainbow bridge and earned his angel wings.

Mr. Nibbs Legacy

Though he only lived to be one and a half years old, every second of his life was spent with people who loved and cared for him.

He enjoyed yummy food, had fun playing with other rescue kittens, and was showered with a tremendous amount of love from Julie and Cara.

Thanks to Julie and Cara, Mr. Nibbs had a second chance.

He touched the lives of everyone he met and showed them what it meant to be resilient.

While Julie and Cara are heartbroken, they know he lived the best life he could have possibly lived.

His lives through all the precious memories they had together and his legacy is strong.

Nibbles is proof that each cat’s life, no matter how short, is worth living.

What Mr. Nibbs Can Teach Us

Julie and Cara wanted to share Mr. Nibb’s story to encourage everyone to give special needs cats a chance.

Euthanasia is not the only option. Don’t give up.

With the right care, special needs cats can thrive.

These cats can live fulfilling lives and they deserve a chance to experience love and companionship.

Thanks to Mr. Nibbles, many other special needs cats and kittens have been rescued by Cara and Julie.

There are no words to describe the kind of bond Julie, Cara, and Mr. Nibbs had.

Julie and Cara tear up at the thought of his passing.

By creating Whiskers 316, Julie and Cara have devoted their lives to rescuing special needs cats like Mr. Nibbs and giving them a safe place to call home until they find the right family.

They are completely self funded and need your support. Please consider donating to Whiskers 316 and follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all their latest rescue kittens!

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