Kittens with vision loss grew close to each other. Then came a ‘loving adoption’
Two “adorable” kittens with vision loss grew close to each other — then came a heartwarming adoption.
A Tennessee animal shelter shared the good news that Radar and Hawkeye both went home with a new owner who has experience caring for blind cats.
The “sweet” woman saw the kittens’ “photos on our donation post and called us to set up a meeting with them,” the Sevier County Humane Society wrote in its October newsletter. “Despite encountering various obstacles due to the inclement weather, she persevered and eventually met the boys, leading to a loving adoption.”
The kittens kicked off their new chapter Oct. 1, after a journey that started in September. The two were in “pretty rough shape” when they arrived together from another facility, according to Cheri Hagmeier, president of the humane society’s board of directors.
The humane society said the kittens both had “unknown eye trauma.” They showed a willingness to survive as workers helped to give them a second chance.
“Radar had to undergo a procedure to have both of his eyes removed, whereas Hawkeye only had one eye removed, but his vision in the remaining right eye appears to be impaired,” the shelter wrote.
While the shelter didn’t require that the kittens be adopted into the same home, they formed a bond similar to other young animals who live with each other. The two “remained together throughout their ordeals and have developed a sense of comfort in each other’s presence,” the animal organization wrote.
The cats, about 2 or 3 months old when they arrived, waited for new owners. Then the woman came across their story and “felt called to give them both a good home,” Hagmeier told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
“That’s the rewarding part of it all,” Hagmeier said. “It’s really hard, especially on our staff, to get in kittens or puppies in this condition.”
The shelter is in Sevierville, near the North Carolina border and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This story was originally published October 2, 2024 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Kittens with vision loss grew close to each other. Then came a ‘loving adoption’."
