I'm sure Millie was a joy to have around...just like your son ;) Hopefully she will get to visit often.

John

I'm so sad for you. Is S missing her? Oh, I'm sorry your son moved out, too, but just can't get over Millie's sweet face. I hope she visits. My baby loved to go on car rides!!!! Maybe if he starts driving her around she'll like to accompany him.

There are a whole lot of sweet kitties who need homes out there.

She does love car rides and I am hopeful that she will visit soon. I think it’s too soon for the other cats to miss her, yet. I will miss my son as well, but we were beginning to butt heads a bit. But, like I told him, “ My house, my rules.” I’m feeling pretty down about it, and I’m missing her terribly. The cats morning romp in the garden this morning, just wasn’t the same. Lisa

I am so sorry, Lisa. Millie was such a dear soul. But hoov is right--could you find another adorable kitten that needs a permanent home? Would Sebastian put up with another kitty? I would definitely try to add to my kitty family, if possible. Diane

I’m not ready for that yet, but the time may come. It was very hard on Sebastian, and I don’t want to put him through that again. He had finally grown to love Millie, most of the time:) I certainly know where to find a kitten in need of a home, when the time comes. Brandon,( my son and Millie’s daddy) often tells me about kittens at the clinic in desperate need of a home. When the time is right, I will probably adopt one with special needs, like Millie. Those kitties are less likely to find good homes, yet often turn out to have wonderful personalities. I am hopeful that my son will let her come “spend the night with grandma “ sometimes. They have moved into an apartment and I know Millie will miss the garden. My son is a kindhearted young man, and I’m sure he will bring her to visit. I wish that his new residence was closer to my home, so he could drop her off on his way to work for “Daycare”. He will be living much closer to his work now, so that’s not an option. I know it might seem silly to some people, but there’s a big empty feeling inside of me, with Brandon and Millie gone. Brandon did leave her with me an extra night,(Friday night) and I spoiled her rotten. I let her sleep with me without Sebastian and Dexter, fed her bits of chicken breast, and spent the entire evening watching her favorite programs on TV. I have a number of cat specials recorded from National Geographic Wild channel, that she loves watching. As long as I fast forward through the commercials or segments where “cat experts” talk, she is fascinated. I’m fascinated watching her watch it.

Ingrid, I know how much you wanted to meet Millie, and think it could still happen. My son knows you wanted to meet her, and I’m pretty sure he will allow her to come visit at just the right time. Lisa

Lisa, so sorry about Millie. Animals are just as much companions as people. When you feel down about her leaving, be glad that she is still available for visits. Last Saturday, I lost one of my 5 little outside dogs. My sweet Albert suddenly became ill and lethargic, took him to vet and found that he had acute lymphoid leukemia. The vet said he had no blood - cancer cells destroyed the red blood cells - any transfusion would be gone in about 2 hours. The only option was to let him go. Miss him all the time - playing with his stuffed worm, riding in my golf cart while gardening or feeding the horses. Before Halloween, my beautiful calico cat Checkers went missing. But adopted a tiny calico kitten from a clerk at a nursery whose feral mother had abandoned her - named her Boo - and she is so cute! I keep remembering the end of a favorite poem - "don't cry for the horses, love the ones who are here". Hope Millie and your son come to visit often. My son is in the Navy, stationed across the country so every minute with him is precious.

Judith

Even more OT A box of abandoned puppies was found in Louisiana. This long and somewhat confusing read is the effort of a young man to save as many as he could. Some had parvo, and that's the sad part. Others are going to make it. And college football fans across the south have been following this, cheers as the puppies poop normally.

So sorry, Lisa. It's hard to see her leave after you've enjoyed her company so much. Hopefully she'll be a frequent visitor.

Oh, Lisa, I'm so sorry, my heart is sinking right along with yours. I worry that Millie won't have a garden since she enjoyed yours so much. I hope she'll be able to come visit her mom, and I hope I do meet her at some time. I still miss Noah, who was only with us for a short time since Jason would and could not tolerate having another cat in the house, but I'll never forget how loving and sweet he was. They're all special in their own way, but Millie is a little more special than most. Hugs to you, we all understand how hard this is for you.

My last day with Millie

My last night with Millie, watching her favorite TV program.

You're breaking my heart over here she's so sweet but I'm also cracking up at her TV show

Sorry Millie is moving out but at least you will still get to see her. You did a good job helping her with her disability. I am sure she is as attached to you, as you are her. It's so easy to get attached to animals that need help.

I have a little hen that only has one leg. The remaining leg's foot only has a few toes. One night when she was a chick, some roof rats got into a tiny opening her coop and killed all the chicks except her, one other chick, and the mother. It was a gruesome discovery for me to deal with the next morning. Roof rats are said to be a problem here in FL but I had never seen any here until that day.

So that little hen had her leg literally chewed off at the top and several toes missing on the other leg. I gave her a few sutures and some antibiotics. I am surprised she lived but she did and she hops around best she can.

I have to keep her in a separate little coop and she has a 'friend' that is patient with her (the other surviving female chick).

Since she is missing toes on the 'good leg', she gets tired and has to sit down in a little low box that I fixed up for her, half the time. My son named her Tipsy because she kinda tips over a little when she is getting tired lol. She very loving and friendly. If she could live in my pocket, she would lol.

~Sjn

Oh, that’s so sweet! Doesn’t it seem like these “challenged” animals are extra sweet? It seems like they are so grateful for the chance to live and a good home, that they develop wonderful personalities. You’re a dear lady to take care of that little chick. Does she give you eggs, now that she’s grown? Lisa

Yes it really does seem like they know they were saved and are grateful.

She hasn't given me any eggs yet. She is just getting the age that she should be laying. I guess she us still technically a pullet since she is under a year but she is about half grown now.

She is much smaller than her sister who just started laying eggs. Perhaps due to all the trauma, she is smaller and may lay later, if at all. She definitely gets her share of treats :) She does like to sit on her sister's eggs. She kinda scootches (is that a word lol) an egg up under her missing leg area to kinda prop herself up more evenly. Maybe it makes her more comfortable or something. I need get her a fake egg to use.

I'm sure she would make a great broody hen and wonderful mother some day since she is so sweet. She is a Key West chicken and they are good mamas anyways. I'm half tempted to give her some fertile Silkie chicken eggs (Silkie babies would be small and easy for her to manage lol).

She sounds so sweet. I’d love to see some pics.....Lisa

Lisa I have a feeling Millie is going to miss you and the other cats just as much as your going to miss her., and I bet your going to see her more than you think lol. Maybe you could Millie sit a few times a week. We have all grown so fond of sweet Millie and love seeing your pics of her seeet face!

Sultry I love the story of your little chick! She sounds so sweet and I'm sure she will be a good momma to some babies one day.

I work for acute inpatient rehab hospital and I see plenty of humans with disabilities that persevere and are successful but it's so heartwarming to hear about the animals, they never seem to have a bad attitude and never give up. I try to remember things like this when I want to complain about my own aging body and it always brings things back into perspective.

I will get some photos up :)

Excellent point Boncrow! And what a sweet story sultry!

Lisa, it's not silly at all to miss that sweet little thing. I went through it when my grandkitty, Sabriel, moved away with my grandson when he finished college here. He fostered 3 feral kittens, kept the smallest, most pitiful one, who eventually developed that famous (infamous?) tortitude that tortoishell cats have. She terrorized my sweet, non-agressive Daisy, but not because she was mean or meant harm. She just had so much personality, it overflowed. Just about the time she and Daisy started enjoying each other, Sabriel moved to Boston with my grandson to graduate school. She has become a good traveler, going back and forth from WA to CA to MA, and now to MI to work on his doctorate. Sometimes they fly, sometimes they drive. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss that rascally cat. All that to say, I understand.

Sultry, I love your chickie story. Silkies would be perfect for your one legged hen to nurture. My one and only silkie has a bad leg, and I have wondered what would happen to her if she were to lose it. I am relieved to know they can survive with one leg - and a little help from us chicken mamas.

Here are some photos of my little special needs chickie. I apologize if anyone thinks her foot looks a little disturbing. It looks a lot better than it did at first. She has really come a long way :)

Hi, I'm Tipsy!

One night when I was little, my brothers and sisters and my mum were sleeping when evil rats got into our coop. They killed all my siblings except me and my sister. My mom tried to protect us but she couldn't see in the dark and suffered some injuries but managed to save me and my sis. Unfortunately, I lost my leg and various toes were affected on my remaining leg.

Luckily the Food Lady (sjn) found me in time to suture where my leg was attached and bandage up my foot. I hurt for awhile but I got better. Now, I hop around with my sister and mom. I can eat, chase bugs, and I might even lay eggs and be a mom someday :)

Sometimes I get tired easily due to having to balance on my remaining toes. So I sit down often and take little breaks. I have a special nest box on the ground that I can easily hop into.

~Sjn

She is so cute, and what a trooper! She'll make a wonderful egg layer and mom someday, I hope.

I'm typing between tears. I love chickens! They're much smarter than non-chicken people think they would be. There's a lot stuffed into those little chicken brains. They all have personalities and are entertaining to watch. Tipsy is a beautiful pullet and will be a gorgeous hen soon. How fortunate you knew how to suture the wound because poultry vets are hard to find and regular vets usually don't know what to do with chickens. Since this happened to her while young, she will adapt, but it's still heart breaking. I can't imagine the trauma.

There's nothing disturbing about that poor little foot, although it makes my heart ache to think about what happened. She's such a little sweetie. I agree that so many creatures that we think aren't too bright are really amazing once you let them into your life and take the trouble to know them. You're a wonderful mom to this little one.

Lisa, I feel very sad for both you and Millie. I hope she gets to visit you often. She is such a dear little thing. We will all miss her!

sultry_jasmine_nights, that is such a sad and sweet story.

Meant to add that the photo of Millie at the top of the post is one of the most beautiful pet portraits I've ever seen. Her blue eyes are really special.

Tipsy looks so sweet and what a little trooper she is!

I agree about that Millie portrait. Such an expressive face. Beautiful!

Thanks you guys. She sure is special. She doesn't seem to know there is anything especially different about her. She just has to take a lot of little breaks because she gets tired hopping around on one foot. I take her out to the garden with me when I dig in the flower beds and she has fun getting pincher bugs and worms. Sometimes I throw her little cherry tomatoes, small peppers, grapes, or berries if I find any ripe ones. Then when she's tired she lays down and spreads her feathers out in the sun and suns herself and takes a little nap. Her version of chicken heaven lol.

~Sjn

I’m back from my cruise and this is my first post since my return. Tipsy is so cute. I’m so glad you posted some pictures of her. Handicapped animals just don’t feel sorry for themselves. They just carry on as best they can. It’s a lesson Millie taught me. Now that I’m home again, I feel her absence sharply again. I sure miss her. Lisa