Faces of No-Kill: Mighty kitten's miraculous recovery

“A severe neurological event.” That’s the best description veterinarians have for the mystery that changed Indy’s life. When she first came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary from a shelter in Arizona, she seemed like a perfectly healthy kitten. She was eating well on her own, she was bright, and she was as playful as ever. But all of that changed when caregivers came in one morning to find her unresponsive. She was breathing — but just barely.

Indy was rushed to the Best Friends clinic, where she received urgent care. They were able to save her life, and she slowly came back to awareness. That was a relief. It was the first glimpse of the tiny kitten’s might. She had a fighting chance to be healthy again, even though her life had taken a different turn than anyone could have predicted. At first, she couldn’t eat on her own, but staff helped her with that. Whatever happened to her had impacted her vision, and she also had trouble with coordination and controlling her limbs.

“It was a long road of touch-and-go. We introduced new things to her slowly,” says Jess Ewing, Best Friends veterinary programs specialist. “She was at first syringe-fed and watered. But slowly we started doing physical therapy with her, and she began eating on her own a little. She was so sweet and loving with all her treatments.”

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One tiny step at a time seemed to be doing Indy some good. Through warm compresses, massage, and a shake machine that’s designed to help build stabilizing muscles, Indy began to regain control of her body, including the ability to see light and shadows.

One of her back legs never regained feeling, and ultimately the veterinary team determined that it would need to be removed. The goal was to prevent future injury and keep her comfortable — and it worked. Indy healed beautifully, adapted with ease, and is now thriving on three legs, moving through life with all the spark, sass, and scrappy joy of a kitten who’s just getting started.

With as much progress as Indy made, she quickly became known as a little miracle. Soon, she was even hopping and rolling around the lobby at Quincy House, one of the areas in Cat World at the Sanctuary, impressing everyone with her determination and making everyone laugh with her silly antics.

Today, one of her new favorite spots is a supply closet — mostly because that’s where her friend Licorice likes to hang out.

Licorice, a jet-black cat with limited mobility and the calm presence of an old soul, likes to perch on the desk while caregiver Catey Patrolia preps medications. Below, Indy plays on the floor, chasing shadows and subtle movements. Textured rugs help her get traction as she scoots and hops along.

[Fearless kitten meets life’s challenges head-on]

She seems to notice Licorice’s silhouette above her, and he lights up when she does. When he’s gently placed back on the floor, Indy bats at his blanket — a game he seems to enjoy. Their bond is quiet, but it’s growing.

And just like that, Indy is starting to figure out her world — one shadow, one snuggle, one soft paw step at a time. She's making friends, both feline and human. “She loves attention now,” says Catey. “Volunteers will come in and pick her right up to snuggle, which she loves.”

Now, caregivers are preparing to start hydrotherapy to help build muscle and coordination in a special water tank, and they're considering a tiny wheelchair that might help Indy strengthen her remaining limbs. She’s making steady progress — on her own terms, in her own time.

“It has been an honor to watch this baby grow,” says Jess. “She never lost the spark in her eyes or her curiosity, and she’s grown in our hearts with every leap and bound. I don’t think that this is the end of her healing process. She is going to continue surprising us and flourish.”

She’s still tiny. She’s still mighty. And now, she’s unstoppable.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.