One afternoon, Sarah Richardson, rescue coordinator for Community Cats of Central Arkansas, received a call unlike any other.
Someone in a small rural town had discovered a kitten lying in a ditch – filthy, barely alive, and with six legs!
Sarah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Six legs? Surely there had to be a mistake.
But it was true. This little kitten not only had six legs, but she was also suffering from a severe prolapsed rectum.
The good Samaritan who found her did what they thought was best and took her to a local vet clinic.
Sarah contacted the clinic and made it clear that Community Cats of Central Arkansas was going to be responsible for the kitten’s care.
But the veterinarian on duty refused, insisting that euthanasia was the only humane option.
Thankfully, one brave staff member at the clinic couldn’t bear to see that happen, so they quietly arranged for the kitten to be transferred to Sarah.
Welcome Home, Squidney
Sarah welcomed the kitten in the rescue with open arms and gave her a name – Squidney.
“I’ve seen some really bizarre medical cases working with rescue cats,” said Sarah.
“But I’d never in my life seen a six-legged cat.”
Squidney was filthy, covered in fleas, and terribly thin.
Despite her pain and exhaustion, she purred softly in Sarah’s arms.
“There was something so special about her,” Sarah said. “She was in horrible condition, but she had so much love to give.”
Despite how much pain she was in, Squidney gazed up at her rescuers with big blue eyes full of love and hope.
“We couldn’t get over how pretty her eyes were,” said Sarah. “It was love at first sight.”
The next morning, Sarah rushed Squidney to another veterinary clinic for immediate care.
A Race Against Time
The vets quickly discovered that Squidney was infested with worms and dangerously dehydrated – a combination that caused her severe rectal prolapse.
When they examined her legs, the mystery deepened.
Her fifth leg had another smaller leg growing off it, technically making it five and a half.
Those extra limbs were deformed, non-functional, and severely infected.
Their abnormal placement had also affected her fourth leg, leaving it immobile and causing her constant pain.
One leg dragged painfully behind her, while another was fused to her body and growing the wrong direction.
Squidney would need emergency surgery to survive.
The next morning, she underwent an extensive procedure to amputate the extra legs and repair her rectum.
When the surgery was over, Squidney went from six legs to three.
There was still one burning question: how did Squidney end up with 6 legs in the first place?
No one knows for certain. The vet’s best guess was that she may have once had a twin in the womb, and the two partially fused before birth.
A Fight for Her Life
At first, Squidney’s recovery seemed to be going well, but only a week later, she developed severe diarrhea and her rectum prolapsed again.
Her little body was overwhelmed. She was treated with antibiotics, pain medication, and fluids, but she was struggling to hang on.
Still, she never stopped purring.
“She was fighting for her life, but that didn’t stop her from purring in our arms,” said Sarah.
Squidney’s prolapsed rectum needed a permanent fix, so the vet recommended another surgery – a delicate procedure to pin her rectum to her colon wall.
It was a risky operation rarely performed in veterinary medicine, but Sarah refused to give up on her.
“She’d already come this far,” Sarah said. “I knew she had a strong will to live.”
And Squidney proved her right.
A Happy, Healthy Tripod
After four total surgeries, she began to thrive.
Now, Squidney is a happy, healthy tripod with a personality as bright as her big blue eyes.
She’s playful, affectionate, and loves to be carried around by volunteers.
“She’s absolutely precious,” said Sarah.
“Everybody is in love with her.”
Today, Squidney weighs four pounds, is spayed, vaccinated, and ready for adoption.
Her journey from a ditch to a life full of love is nothing short of miraculous.
Help More Cats Like Squidney
Squidney’s story is a reminder of the incredible difference compassion can make.
Extraordinary medical cases like hers require ongoing support which carries a heavy financial burden for a small, volunteer based non-profit in rural Arkansas.
If you’d like to help more cats like Squidney, please consider making a one-time or recurring donation through our Meow Mail program to prevent them from having to turn away cats due to limited resources.
Donations exclusively benefit Community Cats of Central Arkansas, a small 501(c)3 non-profit that rescues and rehabilitates cats that are victims of cruelty, neglect, and abandonment in a rural part of Arkansas with high animal cruelty rates and limited resources.
Despite being a volunteer-based non-profit with limited funds, they rescued over 2000 cats and kittens in 2025 alone – that number rivals other non-profit rescues who receive millions of dollars in funding.
Instead, they’re running solely on donations from kind-hearted individuals to continue saving cats & kittens that have suffered from neglect, abuse, or abandonment.
In addition to their direct intake, they pull special needs cats, senior cats, and cats in critical condition from kill shelters to prevent unnecessary euthanasia.
By joining the Meow Mail program, you help provide food, medical treatment, and rehabilitation for cats who would otherwise have nowhere to go.
They would also be grateful for donations of food and other supplies through their Amazon Wishlist.
With your help, they can continue to combat the pain and suffering of cats in rural communities and help them blossom into happy, healthy cats with loving homes.
Be sure to check out their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram to see more of their adorable rescue cats!