There are reportedly two million free roaming cats living on the Hawaiian Islands. The cat population is so out of control that free roaming cats are considered an invasive species. Independent rescuers and humane organizations on the islands are doing their best to transfer cats to the safety of the mainland.
When a woman on Maui saw three kittens in a ditch, she may have wanted to look the other way. But instead, she set about to catch them, to make a difference for these three. Once in custody, it was clear these 8-week-olds were feral, meaning unaccustomed to human touch. To make matters worse, their crusty eyes were red and swollen, their noses stuffy and sticky. They needed treatment for upper respiratory infection.
Their foster mom soon began to break through their fears with gentle touching and holding, soft words of encouragement, and plenty of delicious meals and treats. They began to act like kittens, forgetting their fears to engage in some serious playtime. That was when it became evident that one of the kittens was not like the others. He was not tracking moving toys, he was bumping into things, he would startle easily. He couldn’t see.
Within weeks, two of the kittens had recovered well from their URI, had become nicely socialized, and were easily adopted on the island. Fate had other plans for the third. At 20 weeks old, this adorable Flame Point Siamese mix boy was flown to the mainland, to MEOW Cat Rescue in Kirkland, WA.
On arrival, Louie seemed cautious, but soon he was exploring his space and greeting visitors by rubbing his nose into an outstretched hand and rolling on his back to offer his tummy for a satisfying rub. He confidently approaches a friendly voice. He has a ready purr.
In a new space he may use a wall to navigate, but he soon gets his bearings, finds his toys, and begins to play. Louie loves climbing onto a lap and is relaxed when being carried. When playing, he can follow sounds and possibly detects motion.
His exam by Dr. Jones of Northwest Animal Eye Specialists on February 1st confirmed that he has only about 5% of normal vision, probably due to a genetic condition. This means he can detect some amount of light and shadows, and movement. We expect Louie to live a full and happy life in a forever home.
Louie is average size for his age, and we expect him to grow to be a medium-size adult. Louie should grow up in a home with one or more young cats or kittens. A family with gentle, animal-savvy older kids would be okay. He should be part of a stable family home so that his environment doesn’t change much throughout his lifetime. Indoor-only is a requirement, not only for Louie, but for any cat adopted from MEOW.
Blind kittens typically develop into friendly, playful, confident, outgoing, curious, normal cats. Animals with sensory disabilities have an almost uncanny way of compensating, using their other senses, not to mention their amazing intelligence. Regardless of whether or whatever his eyes can see, Louie can surely feel the love of everyone he meets and he gives that love right back.
Adoption Status – Available and Waiting for You
If you are interested in adopting Louie Luau, please familiarize yourself with our policies and current adoption process. Once you’ve done that, you are welcome to fill out and submit an application for this handsome boy.
We also have several other cats and dogs awaiting adoption.
Who is MEOW?
MEOW is a limited admission cat shelter located in Kirkland, WA.
