A Short(er) Tale of Mitten

Jessica is a remarkable human and has built a remarkable family, one that includes her guide dog, Jessie, and two beloved kittens, Bow and Mitten.

Jessica lives with Usher syndrome, a genetic condition that affects hearing, vision, and balance. Between working, pursuing her master’s degree, and adjusting to a new guide dog, she didn't think she was ready to adopt a cat. But when she met her friend’s litter of kittens, she immediately fell in love and decided to adopt not one, but two of them: Bow and his sister, Mitten.

Mitten, the smaller and calmer of the two kittens, is surprisingly strong! She likes to show off her strength with her favorite toy, which she actually stole from Jessie, the guide dog's collection. It's way too big for her, but she has adopted it and proudly carries it around as her own.

During a recent escape attempt, Mitten's tail was caught in a closing door. It was the kind of accident many cat owners know can happen in an instant. Jessica had already fallen in love with these kittens, and wanted to get to the vet as soon as possible. When she arrived at her primary care veterinarian, they said “Go to Mission.” Mission's commitment to removing barriers to veterinary care helped make Mitten's surgery affordable for Jessica.

Mitten, Bow and Jessie

The day Mitten came in for surgery, her absence was immediately noticed at home. Bow and Jesse spent the day looking for her and wondering where their companion had gone.

Because the injury had fractured the tip of her tail, Mission's veterinarians recommended a partial tail amputation. Now back home and healing well with a slightly shorter tail, Mitten is once again greeting Jessica at the door and showering her with affectionate kneading whenever she returns home.

As Jessica says about her furry crew, “They’re my family.”

At Mission, keeping pets and the people who love them together is at the heart of everything we do. Jessica and Mitten remind us that pets are more than companions. As Jessica said: They're family.