Faces of No-Kill: Kitten’s job is just play

If you’ve seen the Barbie movie, you know that in a sea of Barbies and Kens, there’s only one Allan. And just like Allan the character, Allan the kitten (whose feline family is named after all things Barbie) is one of a kind. Instead of rainbow stripes and short shorts, kitten Allan’s signature look is bright yellow bandages. What else do the Allans have in common? They march to the beat of their own drum and refuse to watch life from the sidelines.

Allan came to the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Salt Lake City from a nearby shelter along with his mother (Ruth Handler, named after the creator of the Barbie doll) and his littermates (Barbie, Ken, and Mattel) when the kittens were a few weeks old. During his first exam, the Best Friends vet team realized there was something different about Allan. His back legs splayed out, which made it harder for him to walk and stand.

“We’re suspecting that it was something that he was born with,” says Dr. Megan McCarthy, Best Friends veterinarian.

[Meet the cat who wears boots]

Dr. Megan wrapped Allan’s back legs in splints and yellow bandages in hopes of straightening them. However, mom Ruth was not a fan of her kitten’s new accessory.

“We did attempt to splint them, but unfortunately, Ruth wouldn’t allow that to remain on,” says Dr. Megan. “She took those off herself.” It was time for plan B: physical therapy.

Allan’s condition is something called swimmer syndrome, which can be corrected with early intervention. Allan needed a foster volunteer who was committed to doing physical therapy with him several times a day — and that’s exactly what he got.

In foster care, Allan began doing exercises designed to strengthen his legs and improve his range of motion, such as bending and straightening his legs and pedaling them like a bicycle. Typical kitten activities, such as chasing toys and wrestling his siblings, were also part of the therapy routine. With each passing day, he became stronger and more agile.

At his 7-week checkup, Dr. Megan was thrilled with his progress. “He’s using his legs so much better. They’re no longer knuckling over, and he’s really gaining some strength back there.”

Before long, he was running and even leaping.

Shortly after being spayed or neutered, Ruth and each of the Barbie kittens were adopted into loving families. As for Allan, he got to go home with another kitten. The furry friends spend their days playing with their plethora of toys, then passing out in a cuddle puddle.  

[From two legs to four, a kitten’s journey]

Without medical intervention, Allan could have experienced mobility issues his whole life. Instead, he’s zooming around his dream house without a care in the world.

“We’re so glad that he could improve with something as minimally invasive as physical therapy,” says Dr. Megan.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.