Come meet my new boy Simon!

Once we moved to Philadelphia, we realized we had a ton of space and I had always wanted two cats. We started looking and found this little guy who had been fostered. His spine is fused towards his rear, so he kind of waddles and kicks his leg out when he walks. He can't jump very well, but it was congenital and does not seem to be causing much pain at all. We went and met his foster mom, and he decided he quite liked us and I was in love at first sight So we brought him right home! I had his room all set up-- Zissou is still deciding how she feels about all this The hissing at the door is already subsiding, so that's a good sign for the days to come.



His coat is (the gray part, his belly/paws are all white) classic tabby, but you can barely tell he isn't just one color gray. And his little toes alternate pink and brown--- adorable! He's near a year old, very playful, very outgoing. It's hard to imagine him the way the fosters described him, timid and hiding. His personality is so much like Zissou's it's almost uncanny. I'm sure when they finally meet they will be inseperable!

Awww he's adorable. He's a dark blue classic tabby with white. Hope you will post more pics of him

He's cute! The spine thing I'm sure scared away adopters....but hey their loss was your gain!

Very cute little boy!

Awww, he's so cute! Congratulations on your new addition

Aww what a beautiful little boy I'm looking forward to more pictures already Many vibes that the introductions go well when the time is right

Oh, what a lovely boy!

Thanks guys!

By popular demand:



Exploring the hallway (they still haven't met officially)



Staring at the door, which appears to be hissing at him



His back right leg-- that's the little kick he does every time he walks (or gallops... you couldn't call it running). His claws are a bit long, so you hear him clacking on the floor in a weird pattern like clickclickclick...click! Since it takes him a while for the fourth paw. The vet did an xray and said it was probably not going to cause any issues, and hasn't seemed to since July.

Congratulations on your new addition.
He's adorable!

I can tell that you have fallen helplessly in love with handsome Simon.
I am so happy for you, Simon and Zissou.

Welcome to TCS Simon.

oh he's gorgeous! and well done you for taking on an extra special kitty!

He's adorable! Congrats on the new addition to your family

Oh I cant believe that Zissou has a brother ... I bet once she adjusts to him, she will love him. He is sooooooooo beautiful You guys are going to be one big happy family Does your SO love cats like you do?

What an adorable new additions Simon is. Congratulations!

Aww he is gorgeous, congratulations.

He's gorgeous! I think he's close to what my little guy is going to look like when he gets bigger. I bet he and Zissou are going to be buddies

First of all, he is gorgeous!!! I'm looking forward to him and Zissou meeting, I'm sure it will be.. interesting!

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

His back right leg-- that's the little kick he does every time he walks (or gallops... you couldn't call it running). His claws are a bit long, so you hear him clacking on the floor in a weird pattern like clickclickclick...click! Since it takes him a while for the fourth paw.

The vet did an xray and said it was probably not going to cause any issues, and hasn't seemed to since July.

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That's interesting - Smudge has a weird looking stance, and her back right leg kicks out when she walks, and she also can't jump very well. I wonder if she has something similar?

He is gorgeous, oh my gosh I can't cope with all these lovely kitties!!! Congrats on your new arrival

Originally Posted by Pami

Oh I cant believe that Zissou has a brother ... I bet once she adjusts to him, she will love him. He is sooooooooo beautiful

You guys are going to be one big happy family

Does your SO love cats like you do?

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He tries... his family always had dogs so he knows about as much about cats as I do about calculus. But he loves ours (well, and me, and we came as a package ) so he's learning. He even has a 'cat' voice now, though of course it isn't quite as effective as mine

Originally Posted by sarahp

First of all, he is gorgeous!!! I'm looking forward to him and Zissou meeting, I'm sure it will be.. interesting!

That's interesting - Smudge has a weird looking stance, and her back right leg kicks out when she walks, and she also can't jump very well. I wonder if she has something similar?

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Could be-- the vet did an xray at his neuter. I've looked online and haven't found a darn thing about it except in humans. The paperwork says "lower spine is fused. Hopefully Ralphie's (his temporary name) malformations in his lower spine won't cause problems. Let us know if he has a lot of discomfort, more difficulty walking, or incontinence." I guess they didn't know if it was an injury that had healed or congenital, but they said it was probably congenital and that was in July and he seems to have only gotten better.

I'll try to get a video of his walk sometime for you.

Congratulations with your pretty guy !!

The bit about his spine being fused makes me think about Scottish Folds, the same defect that makes their ears curl also causes fused tail vertebrae in some cats. So there probably must be Fold owners out there who have experience with this condition.