Catawampus is unique because he has short, crooked front legs. In my research for the book, I discovered that there are some cats who are born with leg bones that do not grow normally (or at all). Their front legs appear shortened, and are often twisted or crooked. This is known as Radial Hypoplasia (RH) or Radial Aplasia (RA). Although they get around a little differently, these cats are able to live full and happy lives. I used photos of many of them for reference as I developed Catawampus' character. They were an inspiration to me, and I have included a page at the end of the book with some of their names and pictures! Click on a photo below to learn more about some of these special cats.