We Opened Our Home to a Senior Cat, and It Changed Our Lives Forever

For over seven years, we’ve been sharing our special needs rescue cats online and how we care for them with their rare condition. TummyandGummy was a funny little name for our cat Instagram that we laughed about, but it has become so much more to our online community and us. Although Toby and Leo are the faces of our page today, they weren’t the start of our story.

An unexpected reason so many cats need homes is that their elderly owners pass away or move to assisted living that doesn’t allow them to take their pets.

That was how sixteen-year-old Herbie ended up on the Cats Protection website; his story and sweet, expressive face made me immediately fall in love.

It was wonderful to see how playful and funny he was and how much brighter our home felt with him there. When he became rapidly ill and passed away only five months after we adopted him, that brightness disappeared from our home.

In honour of Herbie, we decided to adopt a senior or special needs cat, knowing they often wait longer to find a home. That’s when our journey with Toby and Quinton began. A six- and seven-year-old bonded pair rescued by the RSPCA, our hearts immediately became theirs.

Learning a Whole New World

After they were found hiding together during a welfare removal in a multi-cat household, the RSPCA could see how much they needed each other. Both boys needed medical attention and were traumatised.

Quinton had been suffering from abscesses and dental issues that meant all his teeth were removed, and Toby was diagnosed with Feline cutaneous asthenia, also known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic collagen defect.

EDS causes fragile skin, joint hypermobility, and a range of other symptoms. There’s no cure for the condition, but with management by preventing injuries and providing a safe environment, EDS animals may be able to live good, long lives.

It took a few weeks of skulking around for them to start approaching us and accepting affection. Seeing their personalities emerge was such a gift. Toby is such a cheeky little cat. He loves to chase bouncy balls and is always on the hunt for a snack. From the old, sad cats in their adoption pictures to bright, dazzling boys zooming around the house and purring loudly as lap cats.

From Two Rescue Cats to Tummy and Gummy

We joined social media after a few people said ‘Toby needs his own Instagram.’ We never expected that anything would come of it, as neither of us is very tech-savvy or active on our own social media, so we just thought it would be a fun little account to share pictures with a couple of followers.

It’s human nature to show off your babies and want to talk about how wonderful they are, and I think that’s why so many people connect with pet accounts. Toby particularly has a way of reaching people. His unique appearance and huge personality are show-stopping.

The name Tummy and Gummy came from Quinton’s toothless grin and Toby’s love for tummy rubs.

Devastatingly, in the first week of the COVID-19 lockdown, Quinton was diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma. It was a difficult and gruelling fight for Quinton. He lost his sight and struggled to eat; the cancer stole his comfort and his life. He was really brave and still showed love and affection towards Toby right to the end.

It was heartbreaking to see Toby grieve his best friend.

He looked for him and cried when he couldn’t find him. We knew that Toby needed another cat and that’s when Leo came into our lives.

A Gift From Quinton

It felt like Leo was sent by Quinton, another EDS cat looking for a home, and we knew that Toby would adore him.

Leo had started life as a stray and was initially treated for flea allergy dermatitis. When he continued to have deep, unexplained wounds, he was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Toby and Leo took a bit of time to be friends. Toby followed him around meowing pitifully when Leo didn’t want to cuddle up with him. Gradually they settled into a comfortable routine, and their friendship grew into brotherhood. As brothers do, they fight and get jealous but quickly make up. It’s hard to remember a time when they weren’t together.

It’s great to see how well they get on now. They spend a lot of their time cuddling together or grooming each other. Their personalities are like yin and yang, taking turns for who will be feisty and who will be sweet as pie.

While Leo loves to get right up close for kisses on his forehead, Toby prefers a bit of distance, but for a full-effort body massage, complete with rubbing his chin and belly while he snoozes happily.

Although they both have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, their needs can be so different. We’ve discovered over the years that they have other conditions often linked to EDS or symptoms not officially connected to their diagnosis, such as mast cell activation syndrome that causes Toby to have flare-ups of itchy, uncomfortable skin ripples often triggered by heat or seasonal changes and Leo’s very sensitive digestive system.

Loving Chino

In early 2022, we took on Chino. He had a very severe case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and needed a quieter home that we hoped would help him to recover. Chino was a bundle of joy, the most affectionate cat ever with boundless energy. He had a serious wound that wouldn’t heal through all the different methods that our vets tried.

It was one of the most stressful times of my life. Toby had emergency surgery for a diaphragm rupture, and Chino had to have surgery the very next day. Seeing two of our boys suffer so much and helping them heal was rough. Chino was with us for only 10 months before we had to make the difficult decision to put him to sleep. Even through severe injury, multiple surgeries, MRSA, and constant new injuries, he still loved to crawl on my chest, nuzzle in and lick my face.

More Than We Ever Imagined

When we first saw Toby and Quinton on the RSPCA website, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was completely new to us. It would be a huge responsibility and a sharp learning curve, but we committed ourselves to being the best carers for Toby.

Over the years, we’ve read studies, researched treatments, dressed and cleaned wounds, and advocated for our cats. Even their silly little outfits are designed to maintain their quality of life.

I’m in awe of how much our social media has done. We’ve helped to get people and animals diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos and other conditions, connected special needs and senior cats with new families, and adopted two of our own cats through the EDS animal community.

Each cat that we’ve had has taught us so much about kindness, resilience, love and respect.

For all the heartbreak we’ve felt at losing them, it could never compare to the joy of being their family.

I implore anyone who can to open their heart and home to an animal in need; it isn’t something you will ever regret.

We’re really blessed, and our dream is to continue using our platform to help special needs and senior animals; one day we hope to open our own sanctuary to care for cats who need it most.

Toby’s legacy will be far greater than he could ever know!