Who is Esther?
Esther was found out in a field, all alone. She was just under two weeks old, and small enough to fit in the palm of a hand! Our Executive Director, Andee, swooped in to foster her but quickly found that sweet little Esther was struggling to eat and potty. At that time, Andee was pretty new to caring for newborn kittens and didn't feel confident that she could give Esther the intensive care she needed to survive and thrive. So she reached out to her friend and fellow foster, Alli, for help.
Esther kept growing, but Alli sensed something "off" about her. She was clumsier than other kittens Alli had cared for, her head bobbed up and down, and she preferred to waddle sideways and backwards instead of forward. It turns out that Esther had a moderate case of Cerebellar Hypoplasia, a neurological condition in which the cerebellum is smaller than usual or underdeveloped. But Esther was fierce and there was no stopping her! Being rather petite and a bit tubbsy-wubbsy, watching her explore the world was a sight to behold, Gosh, she was perfect!
During their time with her, Alli's family fell in love with Esther and had planned to add her as a permanent member of their family. Then the unthinkable happened. About a month or so after her diagnosis, a swift illness took her from us. Alli and Andee were both there holding her as she took her last breath, and she surely left a paw print on our hearts. We were heartbroken, but also grateful for all Esther had taught us during her short life.
When we started to dream up an organization aimed at helping the tiniest and most vulnerable kittens in our community, we could think of no one better than Esther to memorialize and guide our work. She was fierce but soft; her life was filled with love and compassion; and when her caretakers were challenged, they had support.