On October 21 I was in the car with my toddler and I saw something rolling in the middle of the intersection. I quickly realize it was not the usual black plastic bag billowing across the concrete and I'm seeing a long black tail amongst the movement in this busy roadway. A quick u-turn into the median I jump out to scoop up a small black kitten. As he rode on my very pregnant belly towards our vet I wonder if he's going to make it. He is calm, motionless, with his little pink tongue sticking out.

We arrive at the our animal hospital, with a busy schedule they've offered to monitor him for the day and keep me updated on his condition. Like most vets, they can't care for a stray so I assure them that I will handle any costs.

In the afternoon my vet calls to let me know he was most likely thrown from a car moments before I saw him. He has brachial plexus avulsion, common in cats suffering from car accidents. No broken bones, not a scratch on him- who says black cats are bad luck? Needing a name, we've been calling him Felix. Felix was only a pound at eight weeks old, kittens this age should be at least 2 1/2 pounds. So bringing him home, I set out to spoil him with food and love, two things I'm sure he rarely enjoyed before his car ride with his last "caretakers". He was covered with fleas and ear mites but his determination to eat and his will to live has been so sweet to witness.

Unfortunately, brachial plexus avulsion by definition is "The brachial plexus is a large network of nerves located in the chest and armpit area of your cat. These nerves are responsible for controlling movement, feeling, and general function of your cat’s front legs. Avulsion is a medical term for tearing or pulling away. Brachial plexus avulsion, therefore, occurs when the nerves sustain damage, typically as a result of being pulled or torn."

My vet and I hoped that Felix would recover since his bones weren't broken, but as the weeks have passed, he has lost all muscle mass in the leg and his paw pad is drying up. She has done a deep pain test on him a few times since his first visit and he has no reaction in the affected front left leg.

Although we currently only have a rescued poodle mix, I have cared for many cats in my adulthood. But with a nosy 50 pound dog, a 2 1/2 year old son, and a baby with a December due date- it breaks my heart to agree with my sensible husband that a kitten cannot be added to our list of responsibilities.

We have been actively searching for the right home for such a sweet, special kitten but it has been difficult given his injuries. I am in no rush to find him a home but with each passing day he's become more playful and active and I worry we cannot give him the attention he truly deserves.

That first week I brought him home, I turned to a Facebook group search and found a group of loving cat owners with tripod kitties. I posted asking about what Felix's life may hold with three legs and for any advice. I was met with so much kindness, support, and assurance that his life would be full and unbothered by this traumatic event.

I asked for a quote from our vet to have on hand whether we scheduled the surgery and helped his recovery or had found an amazing adopter willing to handle the costs. The ballpark is between $2,300 and $2,500. Naturally this is not something we are able to handle especially given a baby on the way. A few weeks went by and my husband had mentioned that on my original post on the Facebook group people had mentioned wanting to help and to setup a gofundme. This is new to me but my willingness to find the right way to care for this sweet kitten has taken over any vulnerability. With so much going on in the world and especially so close to the holidays I understand this is a lot to ask anyone to chip in and help with.

Felix is one of the sweetest cats I have had the chance to meet. I brought him to my son's preschool and he let all of the 2-5 year olds hold him and love on him. He is even coming around to our 50 pound black fluffy dog. Lottie is friendly with cats as we've had them in the past but she's a little excited a spunky kitten is in our home.

That being said, he has been in the cat infirmary aka the guest room, first in the bathroom attached as he healed and rested. But lately in the guest room and sometimes out on the second floor where the guest room is. I do worry about the stairs with him so now that he's grown some we'll be able to move him to the first floor while we continue to search for his forever home.

Whether you have the ability to donate or not, sharing this would be an amazing help. The amount of people that have shared with my stories similar to Felix's is absolutely infuriating. I know people can be cruel but I must have been totally naive to the fact that people throw cats out of cars quite often. The premeditated element is disturbing beyond comprehension.

Two days after I first brought Felix to our vet, she told me that another person had brought a kitten in found the same way but they didn't make it. I am very thankful to have happened to take a different road home that morning, a road we have never been on. And wondering why the map lead me that way, I looked out over the intersection to see that little black lump and long tail and it was all clear. Felix, like the Latin origin of his name, is definitely lucky, as am I.