Bachè

Bachè was found in a rural area of Turkey, about five hours away from us. He had been living on farmland, and like many curious cats, he likely got into trouble — possibly around the chickens. We don’t know exactly what happened, but we do know that he was struck across the back with a farming sickle, leaving him paralyzed.

The neighbors brought Bachè to a local vet, where he was diagnosed with a serious spinal injury. The vets explained that there was nerve damage, but they believed some of it might heal over time. From my experience caring for paralyzed cats, I knew that the chances of a full recovery were very slim.

Bachè underwent surgery to stabilize and correct his spine, as he was in a great deal of pain. We were told that he might be able to walk again after the operation. However, it soon became clear that he still couldn’t walk or go to the toilet on his own. It was evident that the nerve damage was more severe than hoped.

We tried everything we could — physiotherapy and rehabilitation — but nothing made a difference. In the end, we made the decision to stop pushing him and allow him to live as he was, without putting him through unnecessary stress. Bachè showed us that he was happy, just the way he was.

And he truly is incredible. Despite his paralysis, Bachè climbs, plays, and gets around in his own unique way. He does almost everything the other cats can do. The only thing he needs help with is going to the toilet, which we do for him twice a day — morning and night — and we’re more than happy to do so.

Now five years old, Bachè is full of personality. He’s extremely loving and thrives on human companionship, though he can get a little jealous at times. He’s also surprisingly brave — when other cats start to fight, Bachè will jump right in between them and break it up without hesitation. He’s a dominant little character who isn’t afraid to show who’s boss.

As a paralyzed cat, we knew Bachè would be very unlikely to find a home. In fact, in our area, there’s no one else who cares for paralyzed cats. Over the past 14 years, I’ve cared for five, and Bachè is now the only one still with us. Because of that, we never even tried to put him up for adoption — we knew he belonged with us.

But beyond all of that, we kept Bachè because we fell in love with him — his cute face, his little button nose, and his big green eyes. He’s a true character in every sense, and a very special part of our family.