ACO
08-20-2008, 09:33 AM
4 feet, no ears and a whole lotta heart
Melissa Webb and her daughter, Lexy, 9, wrote ‘Zoe the Earless Kitten: The Adoption’ to raise awareness about animal cruelty and animal adoption. The Webb family adopted the cat shortly after it was found mutilated in a trash bin in 2006.
George Gongora/Caller-Times Lexy Webb first saw Zoe at a neighbor's home. 'I thought, 'This poor kitten has no ears but she is still the same inside,' ' Lexy said. 'All cats need a good home, not just the healthy ones.'
This illustration from the Webbs' first book about Zoe depicts the kitten after she'd been rescued and her wounds bandaged.Zoe the Earless Cat website
Click here KINGSVILLE -- When most children pick out new pets, they choose cute little fur balls, pretty ones that are adorable at first sight.
Nine-year-old Lexy Webb is no different. Her heart just melted when she saw a fluffy, 4-week-old tabby kitten that was being fostered by her neighbor.
Like other children, the outward appearance is what captured Lexy's attention. But this kitten had scabs and ointment all over her head -- the result of someone mutilating her ears.
"I thought, 'This poor kitten has no ears but she is still the same inside,' " Lexy said. "All cats need a good home, not just the healthy ones."
Lexy, a fourth-grader at Ricardo Elementary School in Kingsville, and her mom, Melissa Webb, not only gave the little kitten a good home, they gave her a book deal.
"Zoe the Earless Kitten: The Adoption," released last month by Trafford Publishing, was written by Lexy and her mom as a way to raise awareness about animal cruelty and animal adoption, Webb said.
"We need to help children understand just because someone is different does not mean they are not special," Webb said.
Zoe has blended in just fine with the other family members: four dogs, two other cats and a bird.
"At first she was a little shy, but after about a week she was queen of the household," Webb said.
She behaves like most other 2-year-old cats. She runs up and down the down the hallway, chases flies, purrs when petted in the right spot and will do just about anything for her favorite treat -- a squirt of canned cheese.
But Zoe's past is far from ordinary.
Her story began in 2006 after a man found the mutilated kitten in a commercial trash bin in town and took her to the Animal Rescue Kingsville.
Suzan Smith, the Webbs' neighbor who volunteers with the rescue center, was called on by the rescue team to foster the feline until it was healthy enough for adoption. She said her heart was broken after seeing Zoe for the first time.
"At first she was very scary looking," Smith said. "This little kitten would probably not have survived had it not gotten a good home like this."
Lucky for Zoe, Lexy saw past the scabs.
"It taught me no matter what you look like on the outside, you are still the same on the inside," Lexy said.
And Lexy is hoping the lessons she is learning through her feline friend will continue to teach others.
A second book, "Zoe the Earless Kitten: Zoe Meets the Family," is in the works.
Melissa Webb and her daughter, Lexy, 9, wrote ‘Zoe the Earless Kitten: The Adoption’ to raise awareness about animal cruelty and animal adoption. The Webb family adopted the cat shortly after it was found mutilated in a trash bin in 2006.
George Gongora/Caller-Times Lexy Webb first saw Zoe at a neighbor's home. 'I thought, 'This poor kitten has no ears but she is still the same inside,' ' Lexy said. 'All cats need a good home, not just the healthy ones.'
This illustration from the Webbs' first book about Zoe depicts the kitten after she'd been rescued and her wounds bandaged.Zoe the Earless Cat website
Click here KINGSVILLE -- When most children pick out new pets, they choose cute little fur balls, pretty ones that are adorable at first sight.
Nine-year-old Lexy Webb is no different. Her heart just melted when she saw a fluffy, 4-week-old tabby kitten that was being fostered by her neighbor.
Like other children, the outward appearance is what captured Lexy's attention. But this kitten had scabs and ointment all over her head -- the result of someone mutilating her ears.
"I thought, 'This poor kitten has no ears but she is still the same inside,' " Lexy said. "All cats need a good home, not just the healthy ones."
Lexy, a fourth-grader at Ricardo Elementary School in Kingsville, and her mom, Melissa Webb, not only gave the little kitten a good home, they gave her a book deal.
"Zoe the Earless Kitten: The Adoption," released last month by Trafford Publishing, was written by Lexy and her mom as a way to raise awareness about animal cruelty and animal adoption, Webb said.
"We need to help children understand just because someone is different does not mean they are not special," Webb said.
Zoe has blended in just fine with the other family members: four dogs, two other cats and a bird.
"At first she was a little shy, but after about a week she was queen of the household," Webb said.
She behaves like most other 2-year-old cats. She runs up and down the down the hallway, chases flies, purrs when petted in the right spot and will do just about anything for her favorite treat -- a squirt of canned cheese.
But Zoe's past is far from ordinary.
Her story began in 2006 after a man found the mutilated kitten in a commercial trash bin in town and took her to the Animal Rescue Kingsville.
Suzan Smith, the Webbs' neighbor who volunteers with the rescue center, was called on by the rescue team to foster the feline until it was healthy enough for adoption. She said her heart was broken after seeing Zoe for the first time.
"At first she was very scary looking," Smith said. "This little kitten would probably not have survived had it not gotten a good home like this."
Lucky for Zoe, Lexy saw past the scabs.
"It taught me no matter what you look like on the outside, you are still the same on the inside," Lexy said.
And Lexy is hoping the lessons she is learning through her feline friend will continue to teach others.
A second book, "Zoe the Earless Kitten: Zoe Meets the Family," is in the works.