A kitten and a puppy both rejected from their litter found each other and formed an extraordinary friendship.
It all started when a community cat found shelter in her caretaker’s garage and gave birth to a litter of seven. Hoping to find the cat a suitable place to raise her kittens, Emilie Rackovan, an animal rescuer, stepped up to help.
She secured the mother cat with a humane trap and brought the feline family home to foster them. One of the kittens, Kangaroo, was exceptionally small. The mama cat showed no interest in caring for her, likely trying to preserve energy to ensure the survival of her healthier kittens.
Emilie started bottle-feeding the runt, hoping to get her big enough to be reintegrated into the litter. While the kitten cried and demanded a constant companion, another furry baby in the house also needed a friend.
A dog was brought to the local Animal Control (MADACC) while in active labor. “She gave birth to two puppies on the way and the other six once she was at the shelter,” Emilie told Love Meow.
The shelter wasn’t an ideal environment to care for newborn puppies. Emilie was apprised of their situation and didn’t hesitate to take them.
“When I picked them up, I realized that Possum (the runt) was about 1/3 of the size of the others and very skinny.”
The tiny puppy didn’t get the attention she needed from her mom, was severely behind in growth, and needed intervention. “I took her in as a bottle baby. The goal was to reunite her with the rest of the puppies, but she’s still so small.”
The two runts craved warmth and companionship, so Emilie decided to pair them up and bottle-feed them around the clock.
“It’s pretty normal for any baby animal to seek comfort in another animal, regardless of species, but it’s adorable to see them form this friendship. They love to snuggle and sleep all cozied up to each other.”
Emilie placed them in an incubator since they were too young to regulate their own body temperature.
The kitten stopped screaming, and the puppy ceased whimpering once they were together. They instantly gravitated towards each other, nestled in a furry tangle, and eventually drifted off to sleep in a pile.
“Now, they only cry when they know it’s time for a bottle.”
The puppy rubs her face against the kitten when she squeaks and doesn’t mind when her feline friend climbs all over her. They are so much happier and calmer with a buddy by their side.
Through painstaking care, both babies have put on weight and gained strength. Emilie has recently reintegrated Kangaroo into her litter, but the kitten still needs supplemental feedings.
Emilie keeps the two friends together at bedtime so they can get their bottle while staying warm and cozy all through the night.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of their foster mom, the two runts are thriving.
“Something I love about animals is that they don’t care what each other looks like. Sometimes, we just need a friend.”
