Wall-E’s journey began in an unlikely setting, the parking lot at a local Walmart — hence his name. He laid under the punishing August sun half dead; his mother abandoned him at only two days old and he had an infected cut on his backside. The crows circled overhead and every hour it seemed like this kitten would never be able to experience the joys of life.
But then, a woman found the newborn kitten laying there on the asphalt, barely moving. She knew she had to do something.
Wall-E at two weeks old.
The woman took Wall-E to Helen Woodward Animal Center. She knew about the Center’s reputation of never giving up on an animal, no matter how dire the circumstances. Each tiny life is precious and important to save.
The medical team immediately got to work treating the wound on his backside. Every day Vet Techs would clean the cut with a disinfectant solution and apply antibiotic ointment. Given the look of the wound when Wall-E arrived at the Center, these efforts seemed to be in vain. Surely the kitten was not going to make it through.
But Wall-E had more fight in him than his fragile body would imply. Every day his foster family would bring him to our medical team, the kitten who shouldn’t have made it out of that Walmart parking lot, would greet them with loud meows, demanding more food from his saviors.
Wall-E, only days old.
While his immense appetite showed Wall-E was growing into a healthy baby boy. However, another life threatening condition soon revealed itself to the medical team. Wall-E’s healing wound prevented him from digesting his food properly.
If left untreated, this sort of digestive problem can be fatal. Every day, the medical team performed a specialized medical procedure. Every day, Wall-E’s digestion problems persisted. Yet every day the medical team carried on with their treatment, clinging onto the far off hope that this kitten who shouldn’t be alive could overcome yet another obstacle between him and a happy and healthy life. It would seem to heal, but each time they started to feel hope, the issue returned. The issue came back, got better, and got worse more than once.
After a seemingly endless amount of days repeating their Sisyphean task with no signs of progress being made… Wall-E finally beat it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more invested in a kitten’s recovery,” Animal Health Manager Brigette Beach said. “But we put so much time and effort into Wall-E, seeing him recover almost brings me to tears. It’s almost bringing me to tears now just thinking about it.”
Wall-E was cleared to be adopted almost three months after he first arrived to The Center. Three days after he was first made available, he caught the eye of a boy and his father looking to introduce a new feline friend to their home. The boy was drawn to Wall-E’s energy and new the kitten who beat the odds was the one for him. The family took Wall-E home that day and named him Charlie.
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- Wall-E all grown up!
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- Wall-E — now Charlie — with his new cat dad!
