UNITED KINGDOM – A kitten born who has abnormally large front paws is searching for a new home.
Mia was born just three weeks ago after her very young mother was rescued by Yorkshire Cat Rescue in Rayleigh.
Her sibling was sadly stillborn and although Mia did pull through, her foster carer quickly spotted she had a serious paw problem.
Her large paws – and the short bones in her front legs – may have been caused by inbreeding.
Yorkshire Cat Rescue is highlighting Mia’s case to show how the charity fights to give every animal the best chance of finding a home.
Manager Sam Davies stated: ‘Mia was born just a few weeks after we rescued her mother.
‘She has very short bones in her front legs and huge paws – something we haven’t seen before.
‘It is a congenital defect which could be associated with inbreeding, or just plain bad luck.’
As a result of her abnormally large paws, Mia will need to be constantly monitored as she grows.
‘When kittens have such obvious and visible birth defects, there is always a chance that they might suffer from other associated conditions which we can’t see,’ Mr, Davies went on to add.
‘So we will be keeping a close eye on her over the coming weeks and months.
‘Most likely, however, she will be a healthy and happy little kitten that will learn to cope with her condition as she grows up.’
