10/30/2026
Hey y'all, please meet my gorgeous foster kitten, Journey. Journey is "special needs", she can't hear, we don't know if it's temporary or permanent or if she was born that way or suffered a head trauma, but she's perfect the way she is. It does not affect her balance, she simply navigates differently than other cats. Basically, she swivels her head or has exaggerated movements, think of an owl.
Journey doesn't know she's "different."
She's your typical kitten minus most of the shenanigans.🙂
Journey is, affectionate, sweet, playful, silly, loves all balls and I mean loves them! Lol. You'll most likely find her upside down in her cubby or cube. It must be something to do with not being able to hear, it's absolutely adorable.
She'll play for hours with the ball track. She also likes mice, the laser pointer, crinkle balls, wand toys, boxes. She uses her litter boxes 100% of the time. Uses cardboard scratchers/boxes.
Journey is quiet, we're teaching her hand signals(work in progress), she very rarely meows, she will make noises on occasion(more so when startled), she loves hiding spots to nap in, so a collar with a bell would be recommended to make it easier to find her. She hasn't mastered climbing or steps yet, I'm sure it feels weird, we're working on it. Same thing with being held, she's not as comfortable, she's better if you hold her like an infant, she's not really a lap lover. She loves being tummy up and really really enjoys her ears, face, chin and tummy rubbed. And, because she can get startled easily, especially when sleeping, if you need her attention, just wave your hand a few times in front of her face and she'll smell you and wake right up.😊 If you need her attention, just make sure she sees you first, that's it, easy peasy. There are some perks though, she can't hear the vacuum or blender running. 😺
Oh, and this girl can eat!! Dry and wet, she scarfs it right up! Lol
Journey is not spayed yet, the animal services veterinarian wants to make sure she'll have zero issues with being put under anesthesia. With not knowing what caused her hearing impairment, she's erring on the side of caution.
Journey is so easy to love and spend time with. She has seen my cat but no interaction. She might like a friend to help her navigate life and encourage her to try new things, for example, be able to climb a cat tree to get to the cubby on her own. 😺She does not have full access to the house, just her playroom/bedroom. Keeping her food/water and litter boxes in the same spots are helpful as well. I've added info to help explain her head movements. Approximately 4 months old and 3.5lbs.
If you're interested please reach out to Sumter County Animal Services at 352-689-4400.
New.Shelterluv.com/matchme/foster/SCFL/Cat
