A striking Bengal mix, Kendall arrived at Tabby’s Place from Springfield, MO in early 2011. With her deep amber brown, spotted fur, Kendall is a remarkably beautiful cat, and her personality is just as winning.

Kendall is a permanent resident of our Hospital, where she offers opinions and assistance to our vet tech. Originally, we had her placed in one of our smaller suites, and while she tolerated her feline suitemates, it was clear that she was more interested in the people who would come to visit. When she moved to the Hospital, where she is free to roam as the only permanent feline resident, she bloomed.

When Kendall arrived at Tabby’s Place, it was clear that she had some health issues. Our beautiful girl has early renal disease, a condition with which cats can live for years with little progression. Kendall’s kidney disease has progressed some since she came to us, but at this point, there is no treatment necessary. Kendall was also urinating frequently; urine cultures and ultrasounds showed us nothing unusual, and that has since cleared up. We will continue to recheck her bloodwork and urine on a regular basis to keep tabs on her kidneys and urinary health.

Of more immediate concern was Kendall’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Kendall suffered from regular diarrhea, and she was losing weight from an already-dainty frame. One possible cause was a vitamin B12 deficiency. Once she started receiving regular B12 injections, Kendall’s GI issues improved, but they were by no means gone. Eventually, Kendall was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBD describes a group of chronic gastrointestinal disorders, characterized by redness and irritation of the digestive tract. The cause of IBD is unknown, but many researchers suspect that it is an auto-immune disease. We switched Kendall to a prescription diet, and it has worked wonders for her. Her diarrhea cleared up, her appetite improved, and Kendall has quickly regained the weight that she lost. We anticipate that Kendall will continue to receive her B12 injections and prescription diet for the foreseeable future.

Because of Kendall’s IBD and renal disease, we know that it will take a very special adopter to offer her a forever home. In the meantime, we continue to provide her the special care that she needs, as well as all the adoration our beautiful girl well deserves. Won’t you consider sponsoring Kendall? With your help, we can help Kendall stay the happy, headstrong, talkative kitty we’ve come to cherish.