While lending their time at Rescued, a resale store located in Moline, Illinois, that focuses on generating funds for animals in distress, Tanika and her partner came across a Persian kitten and her parents. The poor little creature was unkept, underweight and surrendered by someone to the organization.
According to Tanika, the little ginger kitten was in dire need of assistance, even though Rescued does not typically accept pet surrenders. She was frightened and extremely small, and all she desired was to be comforted. The team was concerned about her chances of survival. Image via @minnie.is.magic on Instagram
Back in September 2019, Tanika and her spouse made the decision to take care of a vulnerable 11-month-old Persian cat, whom they lovingly named Minerva Joan Hepburn or Minnie for brevity. As per Tanika, she chose a name that would embody strength, as she hoped it would help the fragile feline pull through. To do so, she drew inspiration from some of the most powerful women in history such as Professor Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter, and the legendary actresses Joan Crawford, Katherine, and Audrey Hepburn. The choice of the name was made with love and the hope that it would imbue Minnie with the same strong will and determination as those women.
Minnie faced a difficult situation as a young kitten when someone unintentionally broke her pelvis. Unfortunately, her injury was ignored, adding to the list of neglect she had experienced in her short life. Tanika, Minnie’s current owner, revealed that her previous owners were breeding and selling Persian cats out of an unclean van. Consequently, Minnie was infested with fleas and had lost most of her fur due to the harmful flea medications she was given. Additionally, she was malnourished, making her situation all the more distressing.
The photo uploaded by @minnie.is.magic on Instagram shows a unique and special cat named Minnie, who was taken in by Tanika and her husband. The couple already had two cats with special needs, so they were confident that they could provide Minnie with the care she needed. Their initial plan was to foster Minnie until she became healthy enough to be adopted, but they soon realized that they couldn’t bear to part with her. Tanika reminisces about falling in love with Minnie after seeing her overcome obstacles and become healthier. They felt that no one else could take care of her as well as they could.
Tanika and her spouse welcomed Minnie into their home when the feline still had the ability to use her hind legs, despite an untreated pelvic injury. However, as Minnie matured, it became increasingly challenging for her to move around like a typical cat. Tanika explained that Minnie’s hind legs could no longer support her as she grew stronger and more robust. Even though she isn’t entirely paralyzed, Minnie can no longer use her back legs.
