Adopted and vulnerable cats and kittens continue to receive hope and a shot at life because of the kindness of many people and committed cat rescue organizations.
In one incredible tale, a small newborn kitten was miraculously saved just in time. The lone survivor of his litter, the gray kitten, was discovered abandoned and faceless in a garage.
Weeping for assistance, he was so frail and little, and the thing that hurts us the most is that his mother never returned to get him.
Volunteers from Texas’ Coastal Bend Cat Rescue raced to save the kitten when they realized how much he needed aid.
Not only was this tiny soul weak and small, but he was coated in filth and had flea infestations. A CBCR officer named Mary Huckabee gave the following account of their first meeting:
“Despite being almost twice as old as indicated by other age markers, he had the size of a kitten that was one week old.”
The volunteers weren’t about to give up on this kitten, not after everything he had gone through. At that point, Dorella, a different CBCR officer, came forward to mentor him. She remembered:
He had an extremely low body score and was dehydrated. I didn’t believe he would make it. We had to gradually raise his body temperature, which required hourly feedings at very little increments.
This kitten shown that he was a fighter from the start by being the only member of his litter to survive, and he continued to fight his battle. Dorella continued, saying:
As soon as I acquired him, he was a fighter. He was crying, he was moving, and he had the greatest will to survive.
There was hope that this kitten’s condition would improve and he would become a happy, healthy kitten with round-the-clock care and unshakable dedication.
His hunger miraculously increased, and he started to eat a lot. Eventually, after two weeks in critical care, he had gained back his normal weight. Dorella said with affection:
“Due to the lack of sleep I experienced while tending to him during his critical phase, I named him Sandman.”
Sandman became a giant cuddle bug the moment he felt the warmth of a helping hand. He was happy to be cuddled and given attention, especially after a satisfying meal. Dorella stated:
“We frequently give these cuddle toys to abandoned kittens because the sound of their heartbeat imitates that of their mother.”
Sandman’s strength increased day by day, both physically and spiritually. He embraced the delight of play as he became stronger and avidly explored his environment.
Proper socializing was the next step in finding Sandman a forever home. As a result, he was placed in a new foster home where he was able to socialize with the aid of a foster parent and Taro, a young resident cat.
Graduate of CBCR Taro greeted Sandman with open arms. He took the little kitten under his wing and helped him every step of the way. Foster mother Mary from Texas recounted their endearing relationship, stating:
“Taro lets him chomp all over him and is incredibly patient with him.” They cherished playing and cuddling. He gets to practice all the necessary kitten skills by playing with Taro.
Sandman was acquiring a lot of energy and getting bigger and stronger every day. He was much smaller than his furry comrade Taro, yet he was still a brave wrestler. Mary stated:
Sandman appears to believe that he and his substitute brother are of the same size. He undoubtedly possesses a strong personality.
She laughed and said,
“Sandman keeps nipping my nose to wake me up.” As of yet, he is not living up to his name.
Sandman is now a happy kitten, enjoying the small pleasures of life while waiting for his forever home, having successfully finished the socialization process in his foster home.
We can only hope that this little fighter’s future is filled with nothing but the best till that time.