Nemo and his band of siblings were rescued from the cold streets of a Tuscan winter.
It’s incredibly sad when an owner abandons their cat, but it’s even worse if it’s winter – and they’re kittens.
While we may never understand what motivates someone to dump a box of adorable kittens on the streets of Italy (or anywhere, for that matter), we can be glad for how Nemo’s story turned out.
We talked with Nemo’s pet parent Antea to get this playful kitty’s backstory.
Thank you again for allowing us to feature Nemo, Antea. Would you please tell us when and how he was adopted?
Nemo was born in August 2016 in Tuscany, Italy and was adopted on the 7th of December.
Ever since he arrived, he started keeping a diary, and as he often hints in it, he had a difficult past. He was left to die… and was found in a box [at] about one or two days old with his brothers and sisters.
We’re glad he was rescued in time! How did he get the nickname “Captain Nemo”?
He is the oldest and strongest of the pack; that’s why the rescuer called him Nemo the Captain.
What was Nemo’s health like as a kitten, given that he was left out in the winter cold? Kittens are very sensitive to temperature at such a young age.
After all the eye operations all the kitties had to undergo… he was chosen to stay with his youngest brother Toy. He had more issues with his eyesight.
When Nemo arrived [at] his new home, he was about three months old. He was small (1.6 kg), but from the moment he arrived he has grown and gained weight (3.6 kg now!). Given his health, it was recommended he [should] be kept inside until spring/summer, but he often looks outside, knowing that soon he will be allowed out.
It’s good the Nemo is healthy enough to go outside during the warmer months. How does he cope indoors?
At home, he has his own room, full access to the entire house, and a furry friend: the family dog Trappy, the pug. She is [old], but she liked him right away.
Was Nemo the only cat in the household?
The family that adopted Nemo is composed of four “hoomans” (plus two “visiting hoomans” as he calls them, one of whom takes a lot of pictures of him). They had three adorable cats, all rescues.
In the months before Nemo’s arrival, the atmosphere was gloomy and sad. One of the cats had an accident years ago, and the two 10-year-old cats… fell ill (renal issue and cancer) during the summer and passed away quickly. Nemo brought back life to the family and companionship to the pug.
Even as an adult, it seems that Nemo has had health issues (issues that kept him from being featured here for awhile!). Do these issues limit him significantly?
[Nemo catches] colds easily, which makes him breathe heavily, so he often has to inhale vapor to improve his breathing. Luckily, he can see perfectly, and that is great news!
Is he still able to play like other kitties?
He loves jumping up and down the couch and preparing [to attack] the pug. [In his] first months he liked to explore the house. His [research is] thorough and well-documented in his diary. He discovered the fireplace, the plants, the flies, and most recently: the toilet paper.
[Nemo] loves eating so much that [he] steals carrots from the pug and muffins from the table… he is an adorable kitten that’s growing fast [and is] loved and spoiled!
Nemo is a great lesson to all of us that special needs kitties can live a full life with proper care and a loving home. Thank you so much for sharing his story with us!
You can find Captain Nemo on his Instagram at @capitan_nemo_the_cat. Remember to like and share this blog post and give Nemo some love in the comments!
What an inspiring story! Nemo is a lucky kitty
He’s very lucky! I do love a happy ending. 🙂