Murphy is an orange tabby cat who was rescued from the wild. Then there was Pip. Pip is a lovely gray cat who, unfortunately, suffers from cerebellar abiotrophy, a degenerative neurological illness that limits his mobility.
They discovered that he had cerebellar abiotrophy, which differs from cerebellum hyperplasia in that cerebellum hypoplasia is evident from birth in kittens, whereas cerebellar abiotrophy appears later. It’s also progressive.
Then there’s Indy, a stunning ragdoll mix who is utterly smitten with Pip. Indy helps Pip with grooming and balance, as well as just being a faithful companion to his unsteady pal.
It simply developed into the bromance between Indy and Pip… he plays wild and crazy with Murphy, but he and Pip are absolutely inseparable, always snuggling and loving, and it’s the nicest connection ever. We really assumed he’d be a crazy little kitten that would chase Murphy around, but he turned out to be incredibly loving and careful with Pip.
This isn’t to mean Pip requires constant assistance. Despite his infirmity, Pip goes out of his way to demonstrate his independence.
We just made a lot of changes for him so he can still play and have fun while avoiding injury. He’s very proud of himself when he can do things that the other kids can do. So the only time he’s still is when he’s sound asleep, he tries to be a normal cat as much as he can.
Murphy, Pip, and Indy, on the other hand, will always have a loving home for the remainder of their lives.
I enjoy being their mother. I enjoy looking after them. I’m hoping they live for another 20 years. Perhaps I’ll be able to adore my grandkids as much as I do my kitties.
