As of May 3 of this year, the world has already celebrated National Pets with Special Disabilities Day, a holiday established with one goal in mind: to highlight the needs of pets with disabilities. This day is set aside to educate the public about caring for disabled pets and one of the main goals is to feature disabled animals looking for a home, giving them a greater chance of being adopted.

Not long ago, a unique cat without its front paws jumped into the hearts of so many people after finally finding a forever home and its incredible story is inspiring, to say the least.

Meet Rexie Roo, a rescued kitten without front legs who moves by hopping like a kangaroo. The incredibly cute little two-legged cat was recently adopted by Cairistiona Flatley, who saw Rexie Roo at Best Friends Animal Society, an animal welfare organization in Utah, and the little one has been living with Cairistiona ever since.

Bored Panda reached out to Rexie Roo’s owner, Cairistiona, and this is what she told us.

“I had been thinking about fostering/adopting another companion cat for my first cat, KeeKee, during the pandemic when I had a lot more time to get to know them. I had always been drawn to animals with special needs and as soon as I saw Rexie on the Best Friends Instagram (@bfas_ut) I immediately fell in love. “I had never adopted an animal with special needs before, so this was my first experience.”

Of course, Rexie Roo being the special cat that she is, we also wanted to know what her personality was like.

“Rexie is a total sweetheart. He greets me at the door when I get home and has to be in whatever room I am in. He loves to hug. Every night he likes to sleep on my shoulder, neck or head! He really likes food, so he’s my alarm clock every morning for his breakfast and he always lets me know when he’s ready for dinner or a snack. I was also surprised at how playful he started to become as he started to heal more. He loves toys with wands.

We noticed that Rexie Roo wasn’t the only rescue lucky enough to end up at Cairistiona’s house, so we also wanted to know a little more about Rexie Roo’s other friends.

“My other rescue is also from Best Friends Animal Society and her name is KeeKee. I got it two years before Rex. “Initially, he wasn’t too keen on not being the only child in the house, but now he loves to snuggle and play with Rex.”

We also asked the owner of Rexie Roo to tell us how Rexie’s Instagram account came to be.

“The Instagram account was initially created by one of her adoptees, Danielle. She created him to help him get adopted. I took charge when I adopted him because I had a lot of people from Best Friends and other shelters who wanted to be updated on his progress. “We have now expanded their account to tell their story, show the continued improvement of their health and abilities, and advocate for pets with special needs.”

The tuxedo kitten is special, so we asked his owner if she had any fun facts or stories to share with us.

“Rexie Roo is named after walking like a t-rex and jumping like a kangaroo. I was so surprised the first time he jumped on my bed! If he wants something, he goes after it!

I love that Rexie is the most loving creature despite the trauma she’s been through. He is incredibly strong and determined. He is literally the light of my life and I love everything about him!”

Rexie Roo’s inspiring story touched many people around the world and even went viral, so we also wanted to know what Cairistiona thought about it.

“I am very happy that Rexie can show a wide audience that animals with special needs are capable of wonderful qualities of life if given the opportunity. I think it can teach people a lot about the strength, resilience, and power of people who care about animals. I hope her story can show people that all animals deserve love, even/especially if they look a little different or move a little differently. “I wouldn’t change anything about him.”

Cairistiona’s goal was to shed some light on the taboo topic of adopting pets with disabilities, and she wanted to show the fact that Rexie Roo was no different from other cats, even though she didn’t have front legs.

“When people tell me how kind I am to adopt a special needs cat and how lucky they are to have me, all I can think about is how lucky I am to have him in my life,” Flatley told People.com.

By sharing their cat’s story on social media and through interviews, the owner not only celebrates their cat’s strength, but also raises awareness about the capabilities of animals with special needs. You can help challenge common misconceptions about disabilities in pets and inspire others to see the potential for a full life in animals with unique challenges.

Additionally, the Instagram account can serve as a platform to promote animal welfare causes, encourage responsible pet ownership, and provide information about resources and organizations that support animals with special needs.

Ultimately, sharing a two-legged cat’s rehabilitation story on Instagram and conducting interviews with the owner can inspire others, create a community of support, and spread a message of hope, resilience, and compassion for animals in need.