This pet fell into right hands

A one-bedroom apartment can feel large and lonely if you’re new in town and on your own for the first time. But maybe the perfect match isn’t a right swipe away, because sometimes love comes on the pitter patter of little paws.

For Emma Wheat, a certified and licensed music therapist who works with developmentally challenged children, adults and seniors in Roswell, love came scampering and tumbling into her life just a few weeks ago.

After dog- and cat-sitting for friends, Emma considered adopting a pet of her own and looked to the Atlanta Humane Society’s website www.atlantahumane. org for guidance. A few clicks brought her to video and photos of Grant, a tiny, round-eyed kitten with tiger stripes, a curious and bouncy disposition, and a “CH” special needs diagnosis she didn’t understand. But he was adorable and she was smitten, so she learned all she could about Cerebellar Hypoplasia in cats and kittens.

CH is a cognitive disorder that occurs when part of an animal’s brain does not completely develop. This can be the result of genetics, an infection, toxins or nutritional deficiencies prior to birth. The symptoms include unsteadiness and wobbly walking. It can appear in kittens at about 6 weeks old.

Emma wanted to be sure she was being fair and could completely commit to the extra care this kitten would need, so she called her mom in Kansas City and together they read through all the information on CH they could find online.

“I don’t want to be selfish in my decision, I want to do what’s best for him,” she said of possibly adopting Grant. She could barely sleep, knowing that she had the next morning off and would be going to visit this dreamy little kitten as soon as the shelter’s doors opened.

Once there, she asked about Grant, and they asked her if she was aware that he was a special-needs kitten. “That’s kind of one of the reasons I’ve fallen in love with him,” she responded. It’s understandable she’d have an affinity for Grant, given her calling in life, the work she does, and the specialized education and training she’s received.

The cat is completely at home and safe from high falls in his kitten-proof playpen, and the custom-cut doorway on his litterbox allows him to more easily enter and exit.

He’ll take a few steps and tumble over, flip or bunny-hop along. He may not be perfect, but “he’s perfect for me,” Emma says of her Finnegan Grant.

His demeanor may make him a good therapy cat, but there’s no question he’s in precisely the right hands for learning.

Hard to place, “less adoptable” pets wait for a forever home nearly four times longer than average adoptable pets, sometimes two years or more, according to Petfinder. Adopting a pet is a longterm commitment that requires responsibility and love.

Love Your Pet Day is Feb. 20, please think of furry friends then.