Two Anchorage Alaska locals were out walking one day when they came upon something that worried them.
A Mama cat and her kittens were in a field where the two were walking, and before they realized, they had spooked the mother into the woods!
They waited at a distance to see if the mother would come back.
Unfortunately, the mama didn’t seem like she’d return.
It was getting cold, and one of the kittens seemed to not be able to walk.
Keep reading to find out what happened to this little kitten next!
Calling In Backup
The good samaritans scooped up the kittens and called a rescue once they realized the mother was not going to return in time to warm up her babies.
While the rescue could handle most of the kittens, the one that was having trouble walking seemed to be out of their wheelhouse.
So, they called in back up from Shannon Basner, founder of Mojo’s Hope.
Shannon agreed to take this sweet kitten in and figure out what was going wrong with him.
The poor guy seemed to be unable to move his back legs.
They weren’t sure what the problem was, but Shannon was determined to figure out how to help this kitten.
Tiny But Mighty
The kitten, later hamed HarPURR, was just barely three weeks old.
“He was so tiny he could fit in the palm of my hand,” Shannon said.
They got him into the vet the first morning they had him.
At the vet, they discovered that HarPURR must have broken some bones during the birthing process.
While the broken bones had healed, HarPURR was now paralyzed from the waist down.
But, it was clear this little guy was strong despite his condition and wasn’t going to let anything hold him back.
Full of Life and Love
HarPURR didn’t waste any time letting Shannon know what he was about.
“For three weeks old, that little baby had a lot of fire in him,” Shannon said. “His purr was non stop, and we could tell he was rambunctious.”
While they were getting HarPURR settled in, his mother and the rest of his siblings were also rescued!
Turns out HarPURR was part of a huge litter: 12 kittens in all!
“This mama cat, I call her a Shero,” Shannon said. “She knew this little baby had a strong will to live that she did her best to keep him alive along with his siblings.”
HarPURR’s mama and Shannon were on the same page: HarPURR deserved all the love and a chance at a perfect life.
Hitting the Gym
Shannon soon got to work figuring out how to help HarPURR be more mobile despite not being able to use his hind legs.
“We got him a cart early on, which can be hit or miss with cats,” Shannon said. “But, he took to the cart in less than a week!”
He also started playing with an exercise wheel, almost like he was trying to build his upper body strength!
“He’s pretty strong willed,” Shannon said. “He’s got that really strong spirit that says ‘nothing’s messing with me’.”
HarPURR was gaining strength, but he wasn’t yet allowed to play with the other kittens for health reasons.
However, he still managed to find an unlikely playmate!
Best Friends
While he was waiting to play with the other kittens, HarPURR made fast friends with Shannon’s dog, Cinder!
“She took him under her wing and allowed him to wrestle with her,” Shannon said. “She cleaned him, they cuddled, and she really nurtured him and helped him to grow”
With his strong spirit and Cinder’s guidance, HarPURR was growing up to be quite the loving little trouble maker.
When it finally was safe for him to play with the other kittens, he fit right in!
However, Cinder was still clearly his favorite.
The bond HarPURR had gained with Cinder got Shannon thinking about where his perfect forever home would be…
Foster Failure
HarPURR was now ready to find a forever home, but Shannon had begun thinking maybe he had already found it!
“He had bonded so much with me and Cinder, and because of his medical challenges, I decided he would stay as part of our family.”
Everyone was overjoyed when the final papers were signed, especially HarPURR.
He still gets to play with the other cats, and he will get to spend the rest of his days happy beside Shannon and Cinder.
One Day at a Time
Since officially joining Shannon’s family, every day has been better than the last for HarPURR.
HarPURR and Shannon have also started working on a new project!
“We decided we’re going to start a non-profit for people and animals, named after HarPURR,” Shannon said.
However, Shannon recently also got some tough news concerning HarPURR: he was diagnosed with bladder cancer in September.
While Shannon has been talking with different specialists to find the best treatment options for HarPURR, he’s been taking things one day at a time.
“He just takes things on with such bravery,” Shannon said. “I am very very proud of him.”
Regardless of the future, HarPURR knows he is loved and he will continue to get the most out of every day!
A Little Rascal
Despite his recent diagnosis, HarPURR continues to live it up!
He plays with his exercise wheel every day, and makes sure to get at least an hour of cart time daily.
When he’s not zooming around, he loves to snuggle with his fur sibling, Cinder.
Shannon couldn’t be happier that HarPURR is part of her life, and she’s pretty sure HarPURR feels the same way!
Click here to follow HarPURR on instagram and keep up with his journey!
Alice Hill Wells
Tuesday 13th of December 2022
I follow this precious kitty on Instagram and did not know about the cancer. This cannot be for him. He has had enough problem. I'm on my way to his channel
tailtalez
Wednesday 8th of February 2023
It truly is sad news. But, HarPURR is a true warrior and if anyone can handle it, he can!