Gina from Memphis, Tennessee found a kitten in her backyard two months ago. The little stray kitty was scooting around instead of walking.
@mercythekitty_18
The kitten was found abandoned under a patio grill in the backyard. The mother cat never came back for her.
As soon as Gina picked her up, she noticed something different about her legs. "Her back legs were deformed. They were callused and hard on her joints where she dragged herself," Anna, Gina's daughter, told Love Meow.
Gina immediately took the kitten to the nearby shelter to ask for help but was told that they would have to put her down. She said "no" and went home with the kitten.
"My mom posted on social media to see if anyone knew what was wrong."
@mercythekitty_18
Members of the community came together to help with the kitten's first vet check-up. The tabby girl whom they named Mercy, was born with deformities in her hind legs but was otherwise healthy.
Knowing that the kitten needed to be seen by an Orthopedic surgeon, Gina continued her quest to find a specialist for Mercy.
@mercythekitty_18
A month later, she found Dr. Fisher at Bluff City Veterinary Specialists.
The kitten will need surgery to correct her hind legs when she's big enough. At around three months old, Mercy is a little under one pound. She has to grow a lot more before she's ready.
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"She definitely has a long way to go, but we look forward to helping this baby girl get around better," Bluff City Veterinary Specialists said.
Despite her deformities, the brave little kitty doesn't let anything slow her down.
@mercythekitty_18
Mercy is very tiny but packed with energy.
She can use her litter box like a champ. Sometimes, she needs a little help to keep herself clean, but it doesn't bother her.
@mercythekitty_18
She's rambunctious and extremely playful.
Watch Mercy in this sweet video:
Gina helps stretch her back legs daily to prevent them from growing stiff or crooked.
Little Mercy wants constant attention and knows exactly how to get it.
@mercythekitty_18
"Mercy is slowly gaining weight and is active like a normal kitty," Anna told Love Meow.
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She adores her canine brother, Elvis, and will groom him and cuddle with him when they nap.
@mercythekitty_18
Mercy is expected to have her surgery when she turns eight months.
The little tabby still has a lot of growing to do, but she couldn't be happier to have a loving family who will never give up on her.
@mercythekitty_18
Follow Mercy and her updates and adventures on Instagram.
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