What has big blue eyes, hops like a kangaroo, and will melt your heart? Lil Bunny Sue Roux @lilbunnysueroux! She’s a Siamese-mix cat who was born with only two legs, a tiny bobtail and a talent for causing smiles.
Lil Bunny Sue Roux (or Roux on Two for short) shot to kittycat instafame almost immediately. She doesn’t seem to notice (or care) that she’s missing her two front legs. The adorable kitty hops around as if she were part rabbit. Or kangaroo. In fact, Roux identifies as a cat-bunny-kangaroo with a splash of T. Rex. She’s an inspiration to people from all walks of life by overcoming adversity and becoming the strong, independent feline that she is today.
She was born in New Orleans and surrendered to an animal rescue when she was still a kitten. Jackie Deak Akey, an employee at a New Orleans vet clinic, got wind of the handicapable kitty and states it “was absolutely love at first sight.” Roux was brought to the clinic the next day, and became a part of Akey’s family that night.
The kangaroo kitty was born with a congenital abnormality, most likely the cause of a rare condition called transverse terminal hemimelia. Her lack of legs and tiny tail don’t slow her down, she zooms around her house by bunny hopping on her back legs. Akey says her hind legs are incredibly strong, and she can leap tall buildings in a single bound! Or maybe that was someone else. In any case, she doesn’t have a problem getting around!
She’s lived up to her long name, Lil Bunny Sue Roux Hendrickson Deak Akey. ‘Lil Bunny Sue Roux’ is a play on the children’s rhyme, Lil Bunny Foo Foo. Which, you might recall, was a tale about a bunny hopping through the woods and murdering field mice. While Roux might be playful, we’re pretty sure she isn’t a sociopath. Right?!
She was also partly named after Sue Hendrickson, a paleontologist who discovered the largest, most extensive Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen. You can imagine why her parents chose this particular dinosaur fossil. ‘Roux’ is short for Kangaroo, with a New Orleans twist.
Jackie’s proud of her little cat, and wants to share her story with everyone in the world. She has a merchandise line which includes stuffed animals and books, amongst other things!
For other warm and fuzzy kitty stories, check out Otitis the cat with no ears!