I have been volunteering with cats at Toronto Animal Services for a long time, I have met many cats, I am always happy when they find good homes and if I was able to personally adopt all the cats I fell in love with, well I would be at infinity and beyond by now 🐱

There are some special kitties who I will never forget and Jasper is one such cat currently waiting for adoption at the shelter. Jasper is a black and white domestic short hair cat, but once you take a look at him you can see he is anything but ordinary! He is a 2-year-old neutered male who was surrendered to the shelter, and I can’t imagine why as he is super affectionate, loves to be near you and adores attention.

He purrs, gives head butts and is simply delectable I mean come on look at this face!

He is a joy to be around and despite being in an animal shelter he is a very happy, playful cat. He loves to be brushed and is content to be near you or sit in his little cat bed where he drifts off dreaming of his future home – I am sure!

All the cats at the shelter are wonderful individuals, but what makes Jasper special? If you spend a little time with him you will notice that he has a funny way of walking, his back legs look like they are not quit working the way they should.

Jasper has been diagnosed with what is called “Legg-Perthea… a disease of the hip-joint in animals. It is when blood flow to the ball joint in the hip has been reduced, causing the joint to start to die off, causing pain and lameness. It is very rare for this to affect both hips. Legg-Perthes is more common in dogs, but the treatment is generally the same for cats and dogs.”

Jasper has some really good things going for him including the fact that he is young, light weight (being heavier would put extra pressure on the joints) and not in any pain. This disease in cats is very rare but once the veterinarian has confirmed the diagnosis they can decide on the best treatments which include: Rest, physical therapy, and changing the diet if kitty is overweight. Surgery, a very final option, would only be done if the conservative treatments did not help and this would be much later when and if the joint degenerated to the point where it was no longer functioning.

Jasper is a special cat who deserves a loving home, he has no idea that he is different or that he has any problems, and when you see how he gets around you will only see a beautiful little cat full of life and joy.

If you are interested in meeting Jasper he is at Toronto Animal Services South Shelter Animal ID#  is A671452. He will also be featured on Animal Housecalls Tuesday April 15 @ 7pm