We are Asta & Espen, bonded siblings. If you follow the sanctuary’s Facebook page/ website, you will know our story. We came into the sanctuary off the streets in December 2022 with our brother Jesper when we were around 10 weeks old! Jesper sadly passed away due to a very horrible illness we had all contracted before coming in. We all looked visibly healthy, but our carers soon noticed we had some sore lesions over our bodies. We had all contracted a virus called feline pox virus (please note we do not have this virus now). It made us all very poorly for quite a few weeks.

ASTA- I had a large sore lesion on my nose which spread near to my eye.  Once this finally healed it caused permanent scarring to under my eye and right side of my nose. At the time we were all on a lot of medication because we felt very poorly. Although my lesions were improving and I started to slowly get better, I then became very wobbly and uncoordinated with my movements. I had tests to rule out anything else and these came back all clear. The vet explained the virus I had most likely caused some permanent damage to my brain, affecting my central nervous system. My wobbles did slightly improve but I have since grown a lot more and have learnt to adapt extremely well with this disability. I can still climb, jump and run but just not in the normal way! I am otherwise a healthy girl with no other health issues. My carers say I am a little fighter and such a brave little girl with everything I have been through. I just don’t let it stop me from being the adorable curious young girl I am. My carers also describe me as a very sweet loving girl with a fun and cute playful side. I absolutely love cuddles, playing with my toys as well as playing with my cat friends at the sanctuary.

 ESPEN- During the time I was poorly my carers had to give me medication to make me better, but I didn’t like this so it took me a while to trust my carers, but they gave me yummy treats like lick e lix which really helped me warm up to them. My confidence and trust in people has changed and grown so much over the past year, and I am such a sweet loving boy. I enjoy attention and fusses and often follow my main carer around for loves. I often enjoy pick up cuddles now too. I am still an anxious boy at times but due to everything I went through as a young kitten and my first experiences with people my carer says people should understand this about me. If I ever get a little overwhelmed when having fusses I will tell you gently with a paw tap, very rarely will I nip. This is my defence to protect myself and I am not being nasty at all! I have bonded to my main carer a lot because I have spent the most time with her. My carer says that once I have settled in a home and bonded with my new human/s I will be such a loving cuddly cat!

To note- The vet picked up on a very mild heart murmur a couple of times I have been which is suspected to be more of a stress related murmur although this is not certain. I would need my heart checking when I go to the vets for my yearly booster vaccination. I am doing really well though and I am a healthy young boy!