11/11/2025
Over the summer, we received a call for cat food from a former client. When Kate went over, she spotted three torties sunbathing on the porch, along with four little babies. They were too young to take from mom, so we stayed in close contact with the homeowner until they were ready.
Fast-forward a few weeks: they were ready to move out of there!
Kate and Megan returned and found only three babies. The homeowner had been keeping a close eye on them, and we had to weigh the pros and cons of removing all but one kitten. Ultimately, we took the three and left a message to call us when the fourth returned. The kittens, Lark, Kiwi, and Robin, went straight to one of our foster homes. Later that night, the homeowner called, so Megan and Amber went to scoop up Chickadee the next day. The following week, Judy picked up all three torties, Grandma, Mom, and Daughter, to be spayed!
Lark, Kiwi, Robin, and Chickadee stayed with Megan for a bit, then moved to another foster home with Jillian. They were thriving! Chickadee was the first to be adopted, and we were thrilled, she had been the least social. She left with Rowan, a social butterfly.
Next, Lark and Kiwi were adopted together. Their adopters adored them. But after a week, they reached out to say Lark was “beating up” Kiwi. Megan suspected Kiwi wasn’t feeling well, and she was right. The vet diagnosed Lark with ringworm, so she was returned. Kiwi stayed and was then diagnosed with FIP (Feline Coronavirus). This disease can be very costly and potentially deadly, so Kiwi also came back into our care.
Megan immediately reached out to one of KC’s best cat experts, and Becky helped us get started with Kiwi’s medication. FIP treatment requires daily meds for 84 days. Kiwi responded quickly! Lark finished her ringworm meds and then kiwi got ringworm… because of course. Jillian did an amazing job administering daily meds and monitoring everyone.
Things were finally looking up. Kiwi continued to improve, and Lark was fully healed and ready for spay surgery. On Friday, Megan took a car full of COH kitties to Feline Fix, then kept Lark through the weekend before a planned foster switch.
But on Sunday, Lark suddenly lost function in her legs. She wanted to walk but couldn’t control them. She was diagnosed with neuro FIP, the neurological form of the disease. She immediately started injectable FIP treatment, and we are hoping she can fight her way back. These injectable meds are very painful, so please keep Lark in your thoughts over the next few weeks. She is getting tons of love and gentle care at Jillian’s while she works hard to heal. There are two primary forms of FIP: Kiwi had the “wet” form, and Lark has the “neuro” form.
Kittens can be exposed to coronavirus at any point, and it can lay dormant in their system. Stressful events, adoption, surgery, illness, can trigger FIP. It’s similar to how chicken pox can turn into shingles later in life.
Kiwi will finish her course of meds in mid-December and will be available for adoption. Lark is just beginning hers. And Robin? He’s healthy as ever and has been waiting for his forever home while his sisters dealt with all the drama. Typical brother. 😉
If you are interested in adopting Robin now, or Kiwi once she’s cleared, please fill out an application:
https://new.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/CHKC/Cat
If you’d like to donate toward the very pricey FIP treatment for these two brave kittens, please donate here:
https://www.chainofhopekc.org/services-2
