In early December, while walking along some train tracks in Covington, Kentucky, a young man noticed a taped-up box abandoned along the rails. Feeling a surge of concern, he quickly rushed over, tore the box open — and made a heartbreaking discovery.
Inside, five tiny kittens were huddled together, barely 5 to 6 weeks old.
A staff member from the Life Learning Center, where the young man was headed, immediately shared a post about the kittens on a local Facebook page, hoping to find them help. Thankfully, Stray Haven Pet Rescue stepped in.
“The kittens were quickly placed into a foster home through Stray Haven,” said Shelly Conner, volunteer cat coordinator at Stray Haven Pet Rescue. “But it soon became clear that something wasn’t quite right.”
Shortly after settling the kittens into her bathroom, the foster mom noticed they were struggling to move normally and sent videos to Conner. With one look, Conner recognized the signs: cerebellar hyperplasia (CH), often called “wobbly cat syndrome.”
CH occurs when a mother cat contracts panleukopenia during pregnancy, affecting the development of her kittens' cerebellum. Luckily, Conner had experience caring for CH cats and welcomed the little crew into her home.
The kittens — now named Rocky Road, Cherry Garcia, Pistachio, Sherbet, and Chunky Monkey — quickly stole everyone's hearts. Interestingly, Chunky Monkey is the only one without CH.
“The other four have what we’re calling mild-to-moderate CH,” Conner said. “When they first arrived, they couldn’t even stand and had loose stools — we were worried they might have severe CH. But as they grew stronger, they made incredible progress.”
Within just a few weeks, the kittens began standing on all fours, drinking on their own, and using the litter box like pros.
“They have come so far in just five weeks,” Conner said.
Despite their wobbly movements, the kittens are just as playful and curious as any others. Stray Haven hopes to place them with families familiar with CH, but with the right love and care, their futures are as bright as any kitten’s.
What started as an abandoned box on the tracks has turned into a new beginning — and these resilient kittens now have a whole lifetime of love ahead of them.
If you'd like to support Rocky Road, Cherry Garcia, Pistachio, Sherbet, and Chunky Monkey, you can donate to Stray Haven here.
