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Was Power Of Love Responsible For Bringing Crippled Kitten Back To Health?

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — When Thumper the kitten was rescued at eight-weeks-old he was diagnosed with a neurological disorder that paralyzed his legs.

These days, Thumper — now 7 months old — is walking and playing just like any other rambunctious kitten his age.

Reporting for CBS2, Rachel Kim said the people who rescued the kitten, PACT (People and Cats Together), believe it was brought back from the brink by the power of love.

The story starts in a backyard of a Lawndale home when Animal Control workers found and rescued a number of neglected cats.

Thumper, at the time, was barely eight weeks old and unable to walk. In fact, his foster mother named him Thumper because when he tried to walk, all she heard was thumping.

Volunteers fashioned a cat walker out of PVC pipes and other household materials.

Says foster mom Anita Meistrell, "I was getting tired of trying to hold him up for physical therapy. I was on my knees, and my knees were getting a little bruised."

PACT literally nursed Thumper back to health.

Anita and friend Jane, also of PACT, asked an engineer friend to  fashion a cat walker out of PVC pipes and other household materials.

Thumper walked using the device for 15 minutes at a time and it strengthened his leg.

He's currently being fostered by a family in El Segundo, but is looking for a forever home.

The kitten now plays with other cats like nothing was ever wrong.

"He'll always have a little wiggle to his walk," says Janet, "but he is strong and very healthy. He's a character."

A video of Thumper's journey is also going viral on the internet.

Produced by the Pet Collective, the video has been seen more than 35,000 times in just a few days.

For more information about adopting Thumper or another cat, go to PACT by clicking here.

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