Everything Changed
Jennifer had only had the cat for a month when the trouble started. As soon as she noticed the cat’s drastic change, she recalled the odd warning they had given her. How could this be happening?
She had no idea how to handle the situation at hand. She was an avid animal lover and thought she was ready to deal with anything, but she soon discovered how wrong she was.
A Lonely Place
One month earlier, Jennifer found herself in a lonely place. This feeling changed when she decided to go to a local shelter and adopt a cat. She was over the moon, but in the back of her head, she was aware that it didn’t feel like an ordinary adoption.
She was pleased to discover that the shelter was equally excited to have one of its cats adopted. Jennifer had no idea why they were so anxious to get rid of this particular cat, but she would soon discover the truth.
They Warned Her
Once she’d filled out the necessary paperwork, she returned home. Jennifer was thrilled to take the cat back to his forever home. But as they got home, something odd happened.
The shelter had warned her about the “kangaroo cat” that she had adopted, but she had no idea what they were talking about until she saw the signs. This was a warning she would never forget.
Going Downhill
For the first month or so, the cat seemed to act completely normal. But when Jennifer began noticing the signs, everything changed drastically.
She couldn’t understand why the animal was changing so drastically in such a short amount of time. She did everything possible to ensure he got the love and attention he needed, but things went downhill quickly.
Completely Different
She had no idea that by the end of it, the cat would be something completely different from what she’d thought he was.
In just a short while, he would be unrecognizable, leaving Jennifer confused and questioning what she was supposed to do with him. But everything ended most incredibly once she found the desperately needed answers.
Studying Abroad
Jennifer Wilde had always wanted to study abroad. She worked hard and sacrificed a lot to study away from her family. Being so far from home, she often found herself feeling incredibly lonely.
One day, Jennifer decided it was best to do something about her growing loneliness. She gave it much thought before deciding to adopt a cat. Indeed, this would make everything a lot easier.
Adoption
She’d always loved animals and found herself missing her pets back home. She was gutted when she realized she wouldn’t see them for the entirety of her degree. Jennifer knew that she would have to find a solution to help her cope with the loneliness.
After a bit of thought, she arranged a visit to a local animal shelter. Not only did she want a pet, but she also loved thinking about giving an animal a second chance at a good life. She had no idea what kind of animal she would end up adopting.
A Black Cat
When she showed up at the shelter, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the cat. The black cat was the cutest animal she had ever seen. It looked young, and based on its info, it was.
The chart said he was a year old and was found next to a highway overpass. She was saddened to think he’d been alone all his life, so she adopted him then and there. She had no idea how this decision would change her life.
Excited
When Jennifer got home, she filled out all the necessary paperwork. The shelter ordered her to wait a day to ensure she had time to consider her decision. But she didn’t need any more incentives. She was set on adopting the cat as soon as possible.
She filled out all the paperwork and waited in excitement. She could barely sleep that night; she couldn’t believe she would have a brand new companion in just a few hours.
The Next Day
Jennifer returned to the shelter the next day with brand-new blankets and a carrier. She wanted her new pet to be as comfortable as possible. But when she arrived at the shelter, she noticed that the vibe felt off.
She was surprised that the volunteers were eager to get the cat off their hands. When they told her why they were so enthusiastic, she wished she could ignore it.
Submitting The Paperwork
She submitted her paperwork to the front desk of the shelter with a wide smile on her face. The woman behind the counter looked surprised when she saw what cat she wanted to adopt.
But the woman still happily led her to the kennels, where she grabbed her new cat. He looked a little skinny but otherwise the perfect little animal. She even saw a white stop on his side that she hadn’t noticed before. But she had no idea that it would be a foreshadowing of things to come.
A Warning
On her way out, one of the shelter volunteers pulled her to the side and said something in a low, serious voice. It was a warning that would give Jennifer shivers. “That cat you’ve taken, I feel obligated to tell you that most people have wanted it gone from this place for a while.”
She further went on, “It’s a deranged kangaroo cat.” Jennifer took offense to the notion that the poor cat was anything but sweet. But she’d learn soon enough that she should have heeded their warning.
Settling In
Jennifer took the cat home regardless of what the shelter had to say about him. He didn’t even have any known alias at the shelter, so she decided to name the cat herself.
She named the little guy Titan because she knew he would grow into a great cat under her care. But she had no idea what to do when he started undergoing a drastic transformation.
The White Spot
The white spot that Jennifer remarked as a cute contrast to his otherwise black fur seemed bigger than before after having him for a week. Jennifer thought that maybe she was just paranoid.
But after another two weeks, things seemed very different. This little cat had a lot more surprises in store for her than she didn’t expect.
Turning Into Something Different
After a month, Titan was very different from when Jennifer first adopted him. His fur had changed completely. His sleek black fur was replaced with mottled grey hair.
She remembered the warning from the shelter. What kind of animal had she adopted? And what did kangaroo cat mean? She knew she’d get answers from a veterinarian. But before she could take him there, something unbelievable happened.
A Big Day Planned
Jennifer had arranged to take her new cat to the vet to get him checked out. She worried about his drastic transformation and wanted to know if it was serious and what was happening.
But she would do that the next day and go to bed with a big day in mind. But Titan had other plans for her.
Bothering Her
Jennifer slept soundly all through the night. But while she was dreaming, she kept feeling something trying to tug her back to reality. As with most people, she didn’t want to wake up earlier than she had to.
She kept trying to ignore whatever was bothering her. Then she started hearing meowing as well. Titan was bothering her, but for an excellent reason.
Finally, Waking Up
After trying her best to stay in her pleasant dreams, Jennifer finally woke up. What did the strange-looking cat want from her? She noticed that he was pawing at her shoulder and meowing in her face.
She thought that maybe he wanted to be let out to go to the bathroom or maybe even wanted food. But she was so wrong.
Smoke
She opened her eyes and slowly sat up. She looked at the cat in frustration. Why would he want her up at 5:32 AM? It was three hours until she planned on waking up and getting him ready for the vet.
She looked around, tired and confused. But then she realized something was wrong. She smelled smoke.
A Fire
Jennifer rushed to her feet and ran into the kitchen. There was a small fire behind her fridge, but she couldn’t understand how it had happened. Luckily, the fire hadn’t spread very far yet.
She sprang into action and called 911. They told her they’d get the fire department there as soon as possible before hanging up. She wasn’t going to wait around and rushed outside her apartment with Titan and waited.
Could Have Been Worse
Fire marshals came through and extinguished the fire. They explained that it must have been a fault with her fridge. Jennifer was just glad that things ended as well as they did.
The fire could have easily spread if she hadn’t acted so fast. But then she remembered that it wasn’t actually her that saved the day.
Titan The Hero
She told the fire marshal that it was actually Titan that had saved the day. “He must have smelled the smoke and knew it was a hazard.” She explained to him.
“Well, that cat should get a medal for his efforts. You could have suffocated from the smoke before you woke up if he wasn’t there.” The marshal told her.
Doing Right By Him
Jennifer felt much closer to Titan now that he showed her how much he cared. But that also meant that she had to do right by him and figure out what was going on with him.
She decided to take him to the vet despite feeling a little rattled. She needed to understand everything to do with the feline, even if the truth would be too much to bear.
Remembering The Warning
The entire way to the vet, Jennifer remembered the warning she had gotten over a month before adopting the once sleek black cat. “Kangaroo cat,” what did that mean?
She still pondered the message as she looked to the passenger seat where her strange-looking animal was sitting in his carrier. Soon the vet would spill everything, and her life would change forever.
Getting To The Vet
She drove to her nearest vet and waited in reception. There were a few animals ahead of her crying and barking. No animal liked the vet, but Titan sat patiently in the carrier. He didn’t seem to mind at all.
But when an experienced older vet walked past them and noticed Titan, his eyes went wide. He immediately told her to get up and wait in his examination room down the hall. What did he notice?
Waiting Nervously
Jennifer had no idea what to expect from the vet. He seemed concerned but now was nowhere to be found. He waited nervously as five minutes passed. She looked at Titan and reassured him with some pats through the carrier.
The vet finally came back in and immediately examined the unique-looking cat. But Jennifer would never be ready for the news he was about to tell her.
A Rare Case
The vet informed Jennifer that Titan had a rare skin condition called Vitiligo. Her heart dropped. She asked if he was in danger, but the vet immediately reassured her.
He explained that despite the strange appearance her cat had undertaken. It wasn’t dangerous at all. He would change in pigment, causing the blotchy spots of white where black was.
Another Burning Question On Her Mind
But Jennifer wasn’t entirely satisfied. She asked the vet about the other burning question on her mind. “What about him being a kangaroo cat? Do you have any idea what that means?”
“Where did you hear that from?” He snapped before thinking for a moment. Then he seemed to understand what she was asking.
A Deformity
The vet examined Titan’s legs and then explained exactly what the phrase meant. “It’s a deformity some animals have that makes their back legs longer, allowing them to hop like a kangaroo.”
Jennifer couldn’t believe it. Her shelter cat had not one but two rare genetic abnormalities. She asked if it was something to worry about.
Reassurance
The vet reassured Jennifer that there was nothing to worry about concerning her cat’s condition. And now that she finally understood the message from the shelter, she was glad that she had adopted Titan.
“He may have some strange conditions, but he’s expected to live a long and happy life. If that shelter thought his deformities made him undesirable, they were very wrong.” Jennifer posted on a special Facebook page dedicated to Titan’s life.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
