If you had a very active cat who ran around with great energy, you might name him Rocket. But what if you had a cat with front legs but no back ones? You would name him Rocket, because this cat is very active and does run around with great energy. In fact, he can do everything that other "normal" cats do.
Rocket was discovered in Berlin, Germany, in the back yard of a woman named Mareen. She habitually feeds stray cats at her home and was following her routine when a tiny kitten caught her eye.
He was awfully cute with his pretty white coat with black spots, and he was more active than some of the other kittens. But the surprising thing was that he only had two legs.
He was very young, and it was obvious that he was born without back legs. He acted as though it was a perfectly normal thing to walk on his front legs and it didn't slow him down at all.
As he looked up at her with his gorgeous yellow eyes, Mareen knew she had to make him a permanent part of her household. But the little kitten didn't share that idea at all. "He was born with two legs. The first day I saw him, he was probably a few weeks old and very shy," Mareen said. When she tried to approach him, he quickly ran away.
After repeatedly bringing him food, he eventually allowed her to approach and pick him up. The first day in her home, Rocket was unsure and it was a bit challenging. He didn't know how to react to his new surroundings and meowed all through the night. Mareen knew he was struggling to find his bearings, so she kept him company and talked to him all night long.
After a few days, Rocket seemed to realize that his human rescuers were kind and loving, and he decided to respond with affection, purring up a storm.
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Once he accepted his new life, he was Mareen's shadow. "He followed me around and purred all the time," she said.
There were other cats in Rocket's new home, too. He got along well with them and often surpasses their playfulness. "He is a little fighter and cheeky to the other cats, but they come along very well," Mareen intimated.
Rocket gets along quite well on two legs, and seems to be a proficient problem solver. He can't jump up like his feline friends, but that hardly stops him from getting where he wants to be.
Instead of jumping up, he simply climbs!
Now, that's what I call determination! Yet for Rocket, it's just part of who he is.
Rocket turned one year old in May. He never ceases to amaze his humans as he acts and gets around just as well as the other cats. Mareen says he is a purring machine who loves to cuddle up with her in bed at night.
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If you think Rocket is an amazing cat, how about a high five? He offers his paw in friendship to everyone who visits and never seems to have a bad day.
Share his story on Facebook to encourage others that when things seem particularly hard, there's always someone in worse shape than you are. Take a cue from this amazing, two-legged wonder boy and when you think you can't, adopt his can-do attitude. Or should I say cattitude?