His little gray paws thump against the floor, sounding like a galloping horse as he races down the hallway, all four pounds of him. He zips around the corner and collides with the wall—literally. Shaking his head a bit, he glances up at me before springing into the air to tackle Luna, the cat who has shared our home for years and is nearly three times his size. With his paws wrapped around Luna’s neck, he resembles a rodeo cowboy trying to ride a mechanical bull.
Meet Clover, our pandemic pet. As my kids charmingly put it, “he’s wild.”
I never imagined I’d become a multi-cat household. Luna has been with us for over two years, and though he boasts striking black fur and vivid green eyes, he’s the definition of standoffish. He enjoys our company but rarely offers affection or amusement. After being cooped up for months during the pandemic, I started to entertain my children’s wish for another feline friend. My son, Jake, persistently urged me to adopt a kitten, promising to cover the adoption fees and even take on litter box duties. I chuckled, knowing his resolve might waver, but the other kids were on board, so we dove into our online search and soon discovered Clover through a local rescue.
The plan was for Clover to stay in Jake’s room for the first few weeks so we could gradually introduce him to Luna. Once we confirmed they could coexist peacefully, we’d allow him to roam freely around the house. During those initial weeks, Clover showered us with more affection and entertainment than we anticipated. He welcomed any cuddles, often dozing on our laps, and engaged in playful antics for hours—pouncing on shadows, attacking feet, and leaping dramatically to catch the light from a laser pointer.
However, this was a 2020 cat, born in the midst of a pandemic, and things couldn’t just go smoothly. While Clover’s energy mirrored that of an exuberant toddler, he began to struggle with constipation and instead of using the litter box, he started “leaking” all over. Jake’s room transformed from a lively play area to a risky zone, where we tiptoed around, avoiding potential “landmines” of mess. Just as 2020 had spiraled into chaos, so had our home life. I found myself constantly cleaning after Clover and giving him multiple baths daily. Despite his dislike for the baths, he was cooperative and would curl up in a towel afterwards, dozing off in our arms.
In the first month alone, Clover racked up over $1,000 in vet bills. Jake and I made several trips to the vet, waiting in the car due to COVID protocols. After x-rays, blood tests, and an enema, the vet diagnosed him with a rare condition called mega-colon. While Jake and I were on the phone with the vet, she humorously mispronounced it as “mega-co-lawn.” Initially confused, we understood when she said his small intestine was fine. We stifled our laughter, making the car ride home a little brighter despite the discouraging news.
In simple terms, mega-colon means Clover’s colon expands but lacks the ability to push waste out. It’s an uncommon condition, and the vet had never encountered it in a kitten before. Thankfully, we could move to treatment—an expensive special diet and medication every eight hours. Under normal circumstances, I might have hesitated, but these were not ordinary times, and Clover was no ordinary cat. Even the vet and technicians labeled him special for his gentle, playful nature despite his illness. She mentioned how fortunate he was to find us, as other families might have returned him to the rescue, leading to a grim fate.
Months later, we’ve managed to get his condition under control. Jake’s room has been repainted, steam-cleaned, and disinfected. Clover and Luna are cohabiting peacefully. I’ve set phone alarms to remind me to feed Clover small meals and administer his stool softener. It might seem over-the-top for a cat not even six months old, but it brings a sense of order and predictability to our lives—something we all desperately needed during the turmoil of 2020.
Clover has garnered several nicknames. To Jake, he’s simply Clover, inspired by an invisible space cat from a silly YouTube video. To my partner, he’s Cor-Cor—the Coronavirus cat. We sometimes call him Co-lon, emphasizing the last syllable for fun. For a while, I referred to him as “Shitty Kitty.” Regardless of his name, he brings joy to my children during these challenging times. He has offered Jake companionship through isolation and uncertainty, plus endless laughter with his antics. He reminds me of life with a little one—pulling him out of the dishwasher and dryer while teaching him about hot and cold. Clover serves as a distraction from the upside-down world around us, encouraging us to find joy and humor in curiosity, even when times are tough.
For more on related topics, you can check out one of our other blog posts here, and if you want expert advice, visit this resource. Additionally, Womens Health is an excellent reference for pregnancy and home insemination.
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Summary:
In a heartfelt recount of adopting a kitten named Clover during the pandemic, the story highlights the unexpected challenges of caring for a pet with mega-colon. Despite the initial chaos and hefty vet bills, Clover brings joy and laughter to the family, teaching them valuable lessons about love and resilience in difficult times.