Watch the video, read the story, or, better yet, do both! Either way, this kitten’s story is sure to warm your heart!

I am publishing this post on Father’s Day, as it is dedicated to my father, who gave me the strength to fight for what I believe in and the courage to leave my previous career to pursue the dream that is my life as a shelter vet.

Braveheart’s story is one that I’ve posted from start to finish on Facebook. It is an inspiring story of a 1.7-pound kitten that was brought to the San Jose Animal Care Center by a good samaritan who found him with half of his left front leg missing and a giant bulge in his belly. The good samaritan cleaned him up and took him to our shelter, hoping we would see potential in the kitten despite his small size.

Braveheart arrived at the shelter.

Braveheart was brought to me in the clinic for a medical examination. I looked at him sitting soundly in the carrier used to transport him and he looked up at me with his beautiful blue-green eyes. From the way he was sitting I couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. He seemed so comfortable, calm, and unfazed by his surroundings. I took a photo.

Then I picked him up to examine him. The problems we faced were obvious.

I immediately realized that this kitten had been through something terrible and traumatic. He had half his arm torn off and suffered a large hernia in his abdomen, likely associated with whatever trauma resulted in him missing half his front leg.

Braveheart’s half-missing left front leg.

Braveheart’s large bulge of a traumatic hernia.

A hernia is the protrusion of an organ through the wall of the cavity that contains it. In this instance, the abdominal wall, which is made up of layers of muscle and connective tissue, burst open, resulting in the abdominal organs free-floating under the skin. Fortunately for Braveheart, the hernia was large, which has a better prognosis because the risk of it strangling or trapping abdominal organs is lower.

Braveheart

Surprisingly, Braveheart did not seem fazed by his injuries. I started him on pain medications as well as antibiotics to fend off any infection that had started given the severity of his wounds.

Once he became the property of the shelter, I took him to surgery to get him fixed up. For such a tiny kitten, it was a lot of surgery and a long time to be under.  Nonetheless, the medical team took fantastic care of Braveheart and he handled all three procedures marvelously! (i.e., neuter, hernia repair, and forequarter amputation)

Braveheart post-op.

Braveheart woke up very smoothly from anesthesia and was eating in no time!

Braveheart recovering from surgery on a warm bed.

I took him home with me to spend the night on IV pain medications and a soaker catheter that remained in place so that he would get direct & consistent pain relief to the amputation site.

Braveheart spending the night after surgery on IV pain meds at home with Dr. Ostermann.

Braveheart did fabulously overnight, and when I woke up the next morning he was ready to explore!

Braveheart 1-day post-op.

Having gone from 3.5 legs to 3 legs wasn’t much of a challenge for Braveheart. He knew how to get along just fine!

Braveheart spends the weekend recovering at home with Dr. Ostermann.

Two days after surgery, Braveheart was offered up for adoption at the San Jose Animal Care Center’s 2nd Annual Maddie’s Pet Adoption Days, a free adoption event. A family that had seen his story on Facebook came into the shelter specifically interested in him, and they officially adopted Braveheart knowing that he would spend another week at the shelter (and at home with me) healing from his surgery.

Finally, Braveheart was healed enough to go to his forever home!

All healed, Braveheart is ready to go to his forever home!