SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A duo of special-needs kittens is stealing hearts at Helen Woodward Animal Center, where staff say the bonded siblings are proof that life’s challenges are easier with someone by your side.
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Gelato and Sorbet, a pair of 4-month-old white domestic shorthair kittens, arrived at the center on Aug. 15 from a local rescue partner. Each kitten was born missing a front leg—Gelato without his front left and Sorbet without her front right—making them near mirror images of one another.
“They are extremely sweet,” said Helen Woodward Animal Center Pet Acquisition Manager LaBeth Thompson. “Obviously, they aren’t even aware that they are missing anything, but they do seem to feel especially close to one another.”
Thompson explained that while their genetic condition poses no immediate health risks, there are a few lifestyle adjustments their future adopter should consider—such as lower climbing spaces and plenty of soft areas for rest to prevent overuse of their single front legs.
“The only challenge I could foresee is that they would be in much greater danger if they ever escaped outside,” she explained. “With one less leg, they would have a harder time climbing and defending themselves.”
The center is requiring that Gelato and Sorbet be adopted together to preserve their close connection. Like all adoptions through Helen Woodward Animal Center, they must remain indoor pets and cannot be declawed.
Both kittens have received full veterinary exams, vaccinations and microchips, and will officially be available for adoption starting Friday, Aug. 22.
Those interested in learning more about Gelato and Sorbet can contact the Adoptions Department at 858-756-4117 (extension No. 1), visit www.animalcenter.org or stop by the center in-person at 6461 El Apajo Rd. in Rancho Santa Fe.
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