Texas A&M Veterinarians Restore Persian Cat’s Ability To Eat

Story by Sophie Cela, VMBS Marketing & Communications

October 9, 2025

Luna Roy, a Persian cat with a lively and curious spirit, faced seemingly insurmountable odds from the moment she was born because of a rare and dangerous congenital defect — a cleft palate.

This condition left a large hole in the roof of Luna’s mouth, creating a passage directly into her nasal cavity and posing a high risk of aspiration pneumonia — a potentially fatal condition Luna battled early on. As a result, Luna was unable to eat on her own, as food or liquids entering the lungs presented constant danger.

While most cats born with this condition struggle to survive past kittenhood, Luna — marked by perseverance and supported through innovation and life-saving care — took a remarkable turn thanks to her devoted owner, Allison Roy, and the expert team at Texas A&M’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH).

With cutting-edge treatment led by Dr. Adriana Regalado, a clinical assistant professor in the SATH’s Dentistry Service, Texas A&M’s veterinary team not only saved Luna’s life but enabled her to eat independently for the first time.

A Breeder’s Love And Determination

Most kittens with cleft palate go undiagnosed and are often mistaken for having fading kitten syndrome — a term for kittens who weaken during their first few weeks of life — a condition they rarely survive.

“Kittens with cleft palate often fail to thrive, meaning they don’t gain weight as they should,” Regalado said. “Without constant care, they usually succumb to malnutrition or respiratory infection early on.”

For Luna, however, there was hope. Her owner, a breeder with more than 20 years of experience caring for Persian cats, immediately recognized Luna’s abnormal symptoms — an inability to latch and sneezing while nursing.

After Luna developed aspiration pneumonia, veterinarians diagnosed her with both a hard and soft cleft palate. Unlike typical cases where one palate remains intact, Luna’s condition was more severe; she lacked even a partial barrier to separate her mouth and nasal cavity, making safe swallowing impossible and increasing her risk of complications.

Tube feeding became Luna’s lifeline, and Roy’s around-the-clock care — initially tube feeding her up to eight times a day — improved Luna’s health significantly.

“It was exhausting but worth every second,” Roy said. “By 12 weeks, when the other kittens were heading to their new families, Luna had grown just as big and healthy as the rest. She was always full of life and never let her condition stop her, but she deserved more than a life of tube feeding.”

Determined to find a permanent solution, Roy consulted specialists across Texas, but their recommendations — such as removing all of Luna’s teeth or permanently inserting a feeding tube in her neck — were unsatisfactory.

But everything changed when a conversation with an Aggie friend encouraged Roy to reach out to Texas A&M’s veterinary hospital.

“I hadn’t even thought of that,” Roy said. “I immediately started researching and found Dr. Regalado. Learning of her experience with flat-faced breeds like Persians made it clear I needed to reach out.”

Bridging The Gap

Cleft palate repairs are more commonly documented and performed in dogs, creating unique challenges when addressing feline cases because of anatomical differences, such as cats’ smaller size and heightened immune responses.

To navigate these complexities, Regalado adapted techniques and materials not typically used in feline cleft palate repairs.

“We used a horse-derived bone membrane to support the surrounding tissue, close the gap in Luna’s palate, and promote natural tissue and bone regeneration,” Regalado said. “This material undergoes mineral removal to transform the rigid bone into a flexible structure, making it suitable for delicate surgical procedures.”

Luna’s surgery marked the first instance of this material being used in a feline cleft palate case at Texas A&M; Regalado typically relies on a canine version of the membrane, but a manufacturing shortage necessitated the equine alternative — an adaptation that was unexpectedly beneficial.

“Interestingly, the equine version — with its additional strength and size — was advantageous in Luna’s case,” Regalado said. “Luna’s congenital defect affected more than 65% of the total surface of her hard palate, so the membrane needed to be large enough to span from one side of her mouth to the other.”

Over two hours, Regalado meticulously exposed Luna’s palate bone before suturing the custom-fit equine membrane to its thin edges. This demanded extreme precision to prevent damage to the turbinates — delicate, highly vascular bone structures within the nasal cavity. Once secured, the membrane was covered with the soft tissue from the palate, allowing the rich blood supply from the palatal mucosa to promote healing and help the membrane integrate seamlessly with the surrounding tissue.

“It was one of the most delicate and detail-oriented surgeries I’ve performed,” Regalado said. “Given the limited space and restricted visibility, we had to work fast — deliberate actions and a deep understanding of each step were essential to ensure success.”

To protect the reconstruction from potential disruption, like Luna’s curious tongue, a temporary silicone-like layer was applied over the repaired defect. This layer will either be easily removed or naturally fall off as the underlying tissue stabilizes and heals.

“This step was key to the success of Luna’s surgery,” Regalado said. “Achieving a successful outcome without complications in the repair of a large palate defect is rare.”

A Breakthrough For Feline Care

Luna’s transformation was immediate. For the first time in her life, she could eat independently.

“I imagined they would wheel out my cat covered in feeding tubes, looking just miserable,” Roy said. “But the very next day, she came running out. I couldn’t believe it — was this really my cat?

“Watching her take her first bites of food on her own — it was beyond words,” Roy said. “I had spent 18 months tube feeding her, and suddenly, she was normal. I am beyond grateful.”

Luna’s recovery was remarkably smooth, and she quickly and easily adapted to her newfound freedom.

“Now, she’s always begging for food,” Roy said. “It’s like she’s making up for lost time.”

This case was more than just a successful surgery; it marked a breakthrough for Regalado, the Texas A&M veterinary team, and feline cleft palate research. Insights gained from Luna’s procedure will be documented and shared, ultimately helping other owners and animals facing similar challenges.

“This experience has opened doors for how we approach these cases,” Regalado said.

For Roy, the outcome has been life changing.

“Dr. Regalado and the Texas A&M team didn’t just save Luna’s life; they gave her the life she was meant to live,” Roy said. “I’m grateful that this journey will help educate and offer hope to more cats born with this condition.”

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Note: This story originally appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of VMBS Today.

For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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