Adopting a pet can be an exciting time. There are so many animals looking for a forever home, and sometimes, it's the unique pets that really draw attention.
Meet a pair of siblings that need a loving home — a family who can be ready for potential challenges.
"He's a love, he's so easy. And he's the one that loves to play," said Kim Zarrella.
A cat foster mom, Zarrella is taking care of Thumper and his brother, Spot, while the kittens wait for a forever home.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
But it's taking longer to find that home because this is a special situation. The bonded brothers need to live together. Thumper is missing his tail and has Manx syndrome.
"It's a dominant trait that can happen in any cat that is tailless," said Dr. Amanda Leef of Heal Veterinary Clinic. "He seems to not have normal sensation in his back end."
The disease requires Thumper to be fed a special diet and medicine two times a day.
More animal stories
"And he is one of the lucky cats for whom medical management of his diet and his medications has worked really well for him, to allow him to function like a very normal cat," said Leef, who helped diagnose Thumper.
Leef wants potential adopters to know his condition shouldn't get worse, but it could make another illness potentially more serious.
"There's a possibility that if things … progress, or he does end up with a comorbidity that affects his condition, that you're prepared for that, too," she said.
If you're interested in adopting them, visit the website for the rescue, Cat Connection. But make sure you're ready for the commitment.
"Because this is a forever adoption. This is, again, a 20-year commitment," said Karen Evans, adoption coordinator at Cat Connection.
And be prepared for a double dose of adorable.
"I think that they're going to make somebody or some family super happy," said Zarrella.
