Anakin the Wonder Cat: Two Legged Kitten Continues to Amaze!

Anakin, the homeless kitten born without a pelvis or hind legs, then adopted by Carrie Hawks, thrives in a manner that is nothing less than a triumph of nature and spirit. A new video of him showing the cat condo who’s boss proves the point.

The amazing Anakin could be the poster cat – and should be – for overcoming what we would all think of as a disability and proving himself to be as mobile and feisty as any kitten. It wasn’t long ago that most people would have had a kitten like Anakin put down, and in some places he still would have been.

Luckily, his rescuer Carrie Hawks, who found him as a tiny kitten with no hind legs, eating at a feral feeding station. Carrie is an experienced pet parent who knew she should take a chance on Anakin. Her veterinarian has confirmed that he is in good health and deserves that chance. Other than a need for moderate help with his poos, Anakin lives fairly normally.

He is still headquartered in the bathroom he was first placed in as he was introduced to his new home, along with a roomy hallway and scheduled use of other parts of the house. That is for his own protection so he does not become overwhelmed by the families larger animals, because he is still a smallish kitten, and to provide him with his own space. Anakin goes out into the hose and plays with the family’s other pets.

Carrie got back in touch with us this week to let us know that Anakin is not just thriving – he is thriving brilliantly. Carrie has started a blog that follows his daily life and his progress, and all things Anakin. The site is called Anakin The Two Legged Cat. When at the blog site this evening, I got sidetracked looking at the Anakin emblazoned tote bags offered at Zazzle, where, due to popular demand, Carrie has set up a store. Carrie says she is not actively hawking the goods but made them available when people asked. Monies will go toward his regular vet and home care; any extra will go to animal charities.

In her introduction to this video from last Thursday showing Anakin’s mastery of the kitty condo and his absolute feistiness and energy, Carrie says:
“Anakin has become quite a climber! Here’s Ani climbing up the Kitty Condo & Tower. He also climbs over into the chair & up the steps to the window. The whole time I’m watching him I hear the theme song from the movie Rocky! The Trumpet starts… da da daaaaa da da daaaaa ….Trying hard now… Getting strong now… Gonna fly now…. I was so surprised the first time he climbed the Condo. It’s quite something just how strong his front legs are. Anakin is such an Amazing little cat!”

In response to the many questions she has received about Anakin, his condition, his viability, and how she wishes to handle his fame, Carrie created a FAQ (link at bottom of post) that covers pretty much everything we might wonder.

Here are some excerpts from the FAQ. For more, you can go to her page.

Is Anakin in pain?
No, not at all. He is a happy healthy normal kitten that just happens to not have a pelvis or back legs. He is not in any pain at all.

Will you be getting him a cart or some wheels to hold up his backend?
At this time we are not sure. Anakin has adapted amazingly well to his situation. He can run and zoom around just like any other kitten. Since he is building up the muscles in his body, back and front legs gradually he may continue to support his weight as he grows without any problems. We will be keeping his weight it check for sure. However, as he gets older should our vet and I decide he needs one we will definitely get him fitted for some wheels. I have some great ideas in mind for Anakin’s wheels should he need them. I’ve also made some nice contacts that I am keeping for future reference.

How does Anakin go to the litter box & does he make a mess?
Anakin uses the litter box just like any other cat. he kind of squats to pee. He holds his backend up with his front legs straight to poop. He does have a harder time pooping and we are giving him warm water enemas if needed to help things along. (Anakin hasn’t needed to have an enema since 6/20/12) Ani has gotten messy a few times when he decided he has to cover up his business. He sometimes lays down on his side and uses the front paws to cover it and may gets a little on his belly. I clean him up good when this happens. We wish we could make him understand that he doesn’t have to cover his business and to leave it alone! But his regular cat instinct is strong and he wants to do what comes natural to him.

Will you be getting Anakin neutered?
Yes, Anakin will be neutered when he is the appropriate age.

Have you considered having Ani be a Disability Therapy Pet?
Yes, we have. We will see how Anakin’s personality is once he is an adult cat. If he remains an outgoing friendly cat like he is now we will look into him being a therapy pet.

Will you be taking Anakin on TV or for Interviews etc?
No, Anakin is going to live his life as a happy normal loved and spoiled furbaby in my family. I have no interest in taking him anywhere for interviews, photos or personal appearances. I also will not be having anyone come to my home to interview me, my family or to video or photograph Anakin. However, I will continue to update everyone from the privacy of my home on Anakin’s growth and his life adventures. I will also continue to spread Anakin’s message of rescue and adoption through his website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube videos. I welcome the sharing of Ani’s story without interfering in his life.

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In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a video from July 20, Anakin the Explorer. Carrie introduced this one, saying:
“Anakin exploring the house. He has checked out most of it already. As you can see he’s made himself quite at home.You’ll also see my other cats Trixie, Pixie, George & Zoe checking out Ani.”

For more of our coverage of Anakin and more videos, click HERE.

Links to all things Anakin:

Karen Harrison Binette

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