In 2018, Elizabeth Sidler came across a social media post featuring Oats, a charming grey cat with hind leg paralysis and incontinence. The adorable special needs kitten quickly captured Elizabeth’s heart, who couldn’t resist his little bent ear and head tilt. She instantly fell in love with him upon seeing him on Instagram.
According to a post from @thecatlvt on Instagram, Oats, a kitten, sustained a serious spinal injury when he was about two months old. Elizabeth, his owner, discovered that he had been trapped in a heavy door. Fortunately, the injured feline was brought to the Humane Rescue Alliance. A check-up was administered and it was found that although he was paralyzed and unable to control his bladder, he wasn’t experiencing any pain.
The story revolves around a cat named Oats who was onboarded into the Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation by Ellen Carozza when he was just eight weeks old. He had lost feeling and motion in his hind limbs, but with laser therapy, acupuncture, and exercise, he managed to regain some of it. As Ellen and Oats’s fosterer shared his progress on social media, Elizabeth found herself falling more in love with him. By February 2019, Oats still hadn’t found a permanent home, and Elizabeth decided to contact his fosterer. After learning about Oats’s personality and care requirements, she knew she had to apply to be his forever home.
Thankfully, Elizabeth’s request to adopt was accepted and she made the journey from Central New Jersey to Maryland on March 9, 2019 to meet Oats at his foster home. Elizabeth recalls how Oats gave her his classic head tilt as she approached the full glass door. They spent some quality time together playing, and when Elizabeth picked him up, he unintentionally lost a baby tooth onto her sweater – she still has the tooth as a keepsake!
Elizabeth had no prior experience in taking care of a paralyzed or incontinent cat, but she was eager to learn how to properly care for Oats. She spent time playing and cuddling with him, and also learned how to bathe him and change his diapers. Once she felt confident in her abilities, Elizabeth and Oats embarked on their first road trip together back to New Jersey. Despite the long drive, Oats behaved like a perfect angel and proved to be an excellent travel companion.
The adorable cat named Oats quickly adapted to his new surroundings in New Jersey and has been enjoying the loving care of his family for almost three years now. Unusual for most felines, Oats is always out and about going on adventures! He has even taken road trips from New Jersey to Missouri, visited Philadelphia and Bethlehem, and gone on local walks and hikes. Elizabeth, Oats’ owner, says that he absolutely loves these exciting outings!
On Instagram, @totesmyoats_ showcases the adventures of Oats, a playful and intelligent feline who loves chasing after his feline sister, wrestling with his cat brother, and playing with spring toys. Elizabeth, his owner, shares that Oats enjoys putting these toys in his cat dad’s shoes and fishing them out. Despite his active lifestyle, however, Oats has experienced some health issues such as constipation and urinary tract infection (UTI). In June 2020, he endured eight enemas and several trips to the vet to address his constipation, which ultimately led to a deobstipation procedure under anesthesia to remove the blockage in his colon. As a result, there was a lot of diarrhea and bathing during this challenging time for Oats.
After the incident, Oats’ family took extra measures to prevent him from experiencing constipation. They added more water to his food and provided him with laxatives. Since then, he hasn’t had any problems with bowel movements. Additionally, they have become familiar with the subtle indications Oats gives off when he is beginning to develop a urinary tract infection. Elizabeth says the most significant sign is the appearance of a Halloween cat tail.
The owner of Oats, Elizabeth, shares that while her cat has experienced some medical difficulties due to incontinence, he is overall a healthy and happy feline who loves to eat, play, and cuddle. However, Elizabeth has encountered some people who believe that Oats cannot have a good quality of life because he is paralyzed and incontinent. Despite needing more care than a typical cat, Oats’ family is happy to give him the extra attention and time he needs to thrive. Elizabeth is grateful for everything Oats has taught her and considers herself fortunate to spend time with him. She describes the feeling of wrapping him up in a “purrito” as the best in the world and believes that Oats is a joy to have in their lives.
