When two tiny kittens named Benny and Lydia ended up at Yolo County SPCA, it seemed like a typical rescue case. All they needed was love, care and an eventual forever home. As the shelter staff got to know their two new charges, though, they soon realized that they were different.
Yolo County SPCA
For some reason, Benny and Lydia weren’t growing the way they should have been. There were other kittens in their litter, and they were all developing normally, but not Benny and Lydia. Luckily, the team had seen this before and was able to diagnose the pair with hypothyroidism.
With the help of vets at UC Davis, Yolo County SPCA has become one of the best places for kittens with hypothyroidism to thrive, so Benny and Lydia ended up in the right place.
Yolo County SPCA
“Our rescue now has several incredible foster homes that are really committed to taking on kittens like this, and we pride ourselves on being able to support local shelters and emergency rooms with cases like this,” Jordyn Purpura, feline coordinator at Yolo County SPCA, told The Dodo.
The team put them each on an oral medication that they take with breakfast and dinner. They kept up with the routine daily — and two months later, the tiny kittens were finally growing.
Yolo County SPCA
With their hypothyroidism finally under control, it was time to list the pair for adoption. Usually, young, playful kittens like Benny and Lydia get adopted pretty quickly, but after several weeks, they were still waiting for someone to choose them.
“Benny and Lydia are happy, healthy kittens that are growing with the addition of their thyroid medication,” Purpura said. “Whether they haven’t been adopted because needing meds is a barrier or just because of the time of year, I cannot say for sure, but I am hopeful we will find the right folks for them soon.”
Yolo County SPCA
Benny and Lydia have no idea that they’re any different from any other kitten. All they know is that they’re still waiting. Their condition might seem scary to some potential adopters, but everyone at the Yolo County SPCA wants people to realize that it’s actually not.
“Hypothyroid kittens need twice daily medication and semi-annual to annual bloodwork to make sure their levels of thyroid hormone are consistent and their dose is appropriate,” Purpura said. “Typically, once they are past this vulnerable state prior to diagnosis, they are otherwise totally normal cats. Sometimes the idea of medication and bloodwork is daunting to folks.”
Yolo County SPCA
Being a little different hasn’t stopped Benny and Lydia from playing, loving and thriving, and hopefully they’ll get to do all of that in their forever homes very soon.
If you’re interested in adopting these kittens, you can contact Yolo County SPCA for more information.
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