Regina Duggar, Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary employee, shares her desk with Roxy.

THOMASVILLE — Suddenly, a cat whose journey to the Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary was like that of many other homeless cats, could barely walk.

Delivered to the 425 Covington Ave. feline facility in May 2012 as a stray kitten, the tortoise-shell cat with gold-green eyes was a vivacious, cute, healthy feline about eight weeks old.

Roxy was introduced into the general kitten population, where she was content and reached young adulthood. When the cat was 18 months old, a volunteer found her walking with difficulty.

“One day she was fine. The next day she was hunch-backed and hobbling around,” said Natalie Ballard, sanctuary receptionist.

Roxy was treated for a digestive tract problem. She did not improve after a round of medication.

A veterinarian diagnosed the problem as a bruised spine and put Roxy on bed rest. She was set up in a cage and monitored.

When Roxy did not improve, a second opinion was sought.

“They found out she had two luxating patellas,” Ballard said, adding that both of the cat’s knee joints (in her back legs) were out of place.

“It was very painful for her,” Ballard recalled. “That’s why she was having such difficulty walking.” Roxy was putting all her weight on her front legs in an effort to walk.

The condition, seen more often in dogs, is uncommon in cats. No one knows if Roxy’s condition was hereditary or the result of her jumping from a tall cat tree to the floor.

A Cairo veterinarian with knowledge about the condition could perform necessary surgery, but the procedure would be costly.

A fundraiser began to raise the $1,200 necessary for the surgery. A video on the Miss Kitty website showed Roxy walking with much difficulty.

Although she was in pain and experienced much difficulty getting around, Roxy’s friendly disposition never changed. She remained the sweet, gentle, affectionate feline she had always been.

The fundraiser was a success. Thirty donors raised $1,500.

In February 2014, Roxy underwent the surgery. She returned to Miss Kitty and was set up in a cage in a corner in the lobby. She required monitoring, and her movement was restricted for a month.

After pins were surgically inserted in her back legs, Roxy had to learn to walk again and to put her weight on her back legs.

After she was able to leave the cage, Roxy had to be kept in the Miss Kitty office/lobby to prevent her from jumping great distances.

Roxy lost a lot of weight during the illness, but she has gained it back.

Adoption is not an option for Roxy. Miss Kitty volunteers and staff cannot let her go. She remains today as the Miss Kitty greeter.

Said Ballard, “Her favorite spot is in a stack of papers where you are trying to work, as any cat person will know.”

A laid-back feline, Roxy, whose back legs are slightly splayed, is affectionate. She licks one’s hand when petted and makes catty sounds at streaks of light that flicker through glass in the front sanctuary door.

Roxy has no favorites. She allows everyone to pet her.

“She’s very content in her office,” Ballard explained. “It’s her office, not ours,” Ballard said, as Roxy stretched out — full length — on papers on a desk.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.