Trooper the kitten used to live underneath a porch in Colorado, surrounded by his four siblings. He had been alive for only 10 days when he and his family were attacked by a dog.
Trooper and his sister, Patience, were the only survivors. A Good Samaritan came across the two kittens and brought them to the Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, which then contacted the Foothills Animal Shelter. Trooper's situation was particularly dire - his right front leg was so mangled that there was no choice but to amputate it.
But at just 10 days old he was far too young to undergo surgery. Both Trooper and his sister could barely open their eyes, let alone walk properly.
"Anesthesia for such young animals can be very dangerous, but we knew without the surgery he wouldn't survive, so we decided to take the chance," Dr. Emily Hays, chief veterinarian at Foothills, said in a press release.
Against all odds and expectations, Trooper survived the extremely risky surgery.
The next step of his journey was recovery. Trooper was placed into a foster home with his sister, where both of them were bottle-fed, and Trooper was monitored carefully. His wounds and bandages had to be cleaned daily to prevent him from getting an infection.
But Trooper stayed true to his name and, two months later, he's just as rambunctious and happy as any other kitten, with a healthy love of toys. Naturally, with such a charming personality, it didn't take long for both him and his sister to be adopted out to different homes.
"We feel so fortunate that he's a part of our family and settling in nicely," Cindy H., Trooper's new mom, said in the press release.
Want to help Foothills Animal Shelter continue doing good work for animals in need? Consider making a donation here.
Watch this video about a cat who nursed orphaned baby squirrels as part of her litter:
