A tiny kitten was found in a family’s yard without a mother and other siblings. She was around 6-7 days old and missing majority of a rear leg. A Good Samaritan posted a plea for help online, as the kitten desperately needed medical attention.

“She had a gnarly leg wound, likely caused by a wrapped umbilical cord,” Dannielle Southon, the founder of Southon Rescue (in Florida), shared with Love Meow. “Her bone was exposed and she had a terrible infection.”

Dannielle took the kitten in without hesitation. She cleaned up the wound, gave her food and medication, and wrapped up the stump to help it heal.

The kitten was called Jack because she was thought to be a boy at first, but the name stuck. “She had a very healthy appetite and had already figured out her purr box. She was as active as I expected a neonate to be.”

“After a solid three and a half days of antibiotics, pain management and cleanings, Jack’s leg was looking so much better. The swelling had gone down considerably. Her little stump was doing amazingly.”

The little tripod was determined to get big and strong—she ate to her heart’s content at every feeding and moved around on three paws, practicing her walk like a champ.

She switched on her little purr motor whenever she was touched, and tried to soak up all the love she could get.

Over the next few weeks, the kitten continued to make strides and surprised her foster mom and the vet with her progress. At five weeks old, Jack was up on her three paws, walking, playing and trying to climb anything she could lay her paws on.

“Once the wound healed, it was pretty obvious that she was going to be just fine,” Dannielle told Love Meow.

She saw other kittens run around the room and was adamant to do the same.

“This little girl seriously awes me every single day with her tenacity and resilience (and sass-itude) since she arrived,” Dannielle said.

“As her stump is now totally healed, we’ve been doing a lot of work on her balance and her overall confidence walking on the leg.”

After consulting with an orthopedic surgeon, the prospects for a bright future are looking good.

“I sent over her initial X-rays and we both agreed that there’s no need for surgery. There’s nothing there that should be causing her pain, and her stump is healed perfectly.”

Jack is constantly on the lookout for mischief. She has a voracious appetite and a larger-than-life personality.

Jack has blossomed into a playful, sassy young cat. She enjoys the company of other kittens and tries to keep up with them during zoomies.

Despite having three paws, Jack continues to live everyday to the fullest. She pulled the towels from the basket one night and made a bed out of them. “Being a tripod doesn’t slow her down one bit. She still climbs on the sofa, chairs, and everything.”