10/09/2026
Our Friday foster feature is a gooood one so buckle up because we have so much to say and canāt get enough! Meet four-month-old Benedict, or āØBeniāØ as he is lovingly called š„°
Determined. Adventurous. Voracious Eater (please see picture for proof š¤). These are some words Beniās foster uses to describe him. Because hereās his thing: Beni was born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), or āWobbly Cat Syndrome.ā While we donāt come across kitties with CH too often, we can say that every time we do, they steal our hearts. Really: Every. Single. Time.
CH is a neurological disorder that affects Beniās balance and ability to walk, leaving him a bit uncoordinated and awkward. This disorder does NOT worsen over time, nor is it contagious or painful. If you ask Beni, all is well šāāļø Heās just living life with a bit more padding is all.
He has difficulty judging depth at the moment, and runs into the occasional object thinking it is farther than it really is, which leaves you cooing āoooh nooo!ā and pulling him in for a snuggle. Sometimes I wonder if itās a trick to get more smooches and snuggles š¤ This quirk should improve over time as Beni explores and runs around more (okay wellā¦ ārunā is a bit exaggerated š¤š¤).
While his foster is working very closely with him on conquering stairs, she is finding that they are certainly not Beniās strong suit. With that, Beni will need to be in a home where all of his arrangements are on one floor, and he does not have access to stairs in order to avoid accidents or injuries. As long as he has a soft ramp or cushioned steps, the couch and bed are a go, though! š„°
Honestly, weāre unsure if Beni is a little orange piggy or a kitten: because he eats like a little MESS. Wears half, eats half, you know the deal. Benni wiggles and wobbles when he eats and when he uses the litter box (yes, heās trained!); so while he can accomplish these tasks, he may need some help with clean up afterwards.
Beni loves to play, of course he doesā¦not only is he a kitten, but heās an orange kitten š This little guy will have you rolling around giggling while he is rolling around trying to catch a toy.
He loves the companionship of other cats and tries to engage in play, but we have to recommend a cat that does not play rough so he can keep up SAFELY. And at the end of it all, this little orange ball of fire is happy to snuggle up with you to recharge.
Beniās got his quirks, but what he has most of all is a drive to keep going, the charm to melt your heart into a puddle, and fuzzy orange fur that needs a wet cloth here and there. Beni has stolen so many hearts, and thatās just the beginning, because we know heās going to steal so many more in his lifetimeš§”
CH sounds scary, but no need to fear! It is extremely manageable, and Beniās case is mild to moderate. Beniās foster is more than happy to answer any questions on his specific case and how it will effect him, but general information on CH can be found here: https://www.thenoahcenter.org/2022/09/28/ch-cats/
Beni will be available for adoption starting on October 13th, so be sure to fill out an application asap and set up a meet and greet: we have a good feeling about this little guy š
Application is here: https://www.ctcatconnection.org/copy-of-adoption-application
