Cat of the Month, November 2017: Juno
It’s never easy to lose a pet. And although some people urge replacing the animal as soon as possible, it’s a big step that needs to be taken at the right time. Last summer, the Hooper family (Colleen, her husband Steve, and their daughter Stella) had just faced the loss of their beloved, 20-year-old kitty, Cosmo. “I wasn’t ready for another cat, but the rest of the family kept pushing for it,” Colleen explains. But, as most husbands do, Steve knew Colleen all too well and presented her with an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Enter a sweet orange kitten listed on Craigslist in July 2016. “The kitten was missing his back right paw due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around it,” Colleen says. “Steve knew I wouldn’t be able to say no to a kitten missing a paw, so that’s how we got him!”
Like his predecessors Cosmo and Zenith, the kitten would be named with a space theme. “Stella started looking for spacey names and discovered a NASA space probe named June, and it fit perfectly,” Colleen says. “Juno is also the name of the afterlife detective in Beetlejuice, a family favorite movie, so it really was a good fit!”
Our November Cat of the Month, Juno also answers to the nicknames Little Boy, Little Guy, The Boy, Baby Boy, and the occasional Stumpy. One nickname that he’s outgrown is Poop Foot. “When he was a kitten, he would often be off balance in his litter box due to his missing paw,” Colleen explains. “So he would step in his poop and need to have his leg bathed in the sink. Fortunately, he has outgrown this habit and is no longer called that!”
The missing paw has affected Juno a little bit. “He limps quite a bit when he walks,” Colleen says, “but it’s not noticeable when he runs. He also doesn’t jump quite as gracefully as other cats, and he sometimes misses his mark.”
Now 1.5 years old, Juno is a very active and playful cat. Chasing balls, playing with feather wands, napping in the living room window, and adventures outside (on a leash only!) are a few of his favorite things—in addition to wrestling with Maggie, the Hoopers’ 9-year-old chocolate lab. “Maggie mostly tolerates the wrestling but will let Juno know when she’s had enough by growling and shaking him off,” Colleen says. “Juno also grooms Maggie’s face and ears a lot, and Maggie likes it.”
With so much energy, Juno isn’t much of a cuddler … yet. Although he’ll sit on the occasional lap and sleeps at the end of Colleen and Steve’s bed every night.
Juno recently visited Rainier Veterinary Hospital for some urinary blockage issues. “It was very painful for him and scary for us,” Colleen says. “He was at Rainier Vet for five nights. But he’s on a special diet now and is doing really well.”
And for that, we are so happy! This limping little guy definitely lifts our spirits whenever we see him! Thanks, Hooper Family, for being a part of our family!
About Our Cat of the Month Program
Here’s how our Cat of the Month program works: Each staff member provides a nomination for the distinguished honor, and then we vote. The highest vote wins! Any kitty patients who visit us during the prior month are eligible.
