Once upon a time, in an eerie forest sanctuary on the far outskirts of Chicago-land, two poor kittens found themselves abandoned by their mother.
They were covered in dirt, seeds, and sticky tree sap, and were crying for food – and their beloved mother to come back for them.
Unfortunately, this isn’t just a sad tale but rather a reality.
Back in May, two adorable kittens were found all alone in the forest and were brought to the local shelter. Here’s their story.
From The Forest To The Foster Home
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
Forests are always full of strange whispers and murmurs, and talking magical creatures. At least those we read about in fairy tales. But sometimes, unusual sounds can come even from the real-life forest.
Last spring, a lovely and fairly peaceful day in the forest sanctuary of the Chicago suburbs was abruptly interrupted by a loud feline cry. The weeping was so piercing that it echoed across the entire forest until it reached someone’s ear.
The loud cry came from Burr, an adorable black kitten, and her silvery black brother Bug. Once discovered, the kittens were immediately taken to the shelter.
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
At the shelter, it was estimated that the kittens were only a few weeks old, that they had been separated from their mother for an extended period, and that they desperately needed round-the-clock care.
Therefore, staying in the shelter was out of the question. But luckily for them, a great foster mother named Alyssa was available and happy to take them in.
She shared a couple of photos of her new babies on her Instagram page and wrote:
“They don’t have teeth yet, but I can feel their little incisors just below the gums, so I’m putting them at around 3 weeks old! Bug was dehydrated and lethargic, but after some supportive care, he’s bouncing back rather quickly. Burr is an energetic little thing, and it was certainly her loud cries that found them rescue!”
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
When they saw their adorable little faces, Alyssa’s Instagram friends went nuts, with many eagerly asking when Burr and Bug would be available for adoption.
Who can blame them, really? I would also have wanted to adopt them!
The Kitten Progress
After a week and a half of being bottle-fed by their beloved foster mom, it was time to switch to wet kitten food. On her Instagram, Alyssa wrote:
“Bug and his sister have officially quit the bottle and are full-time meat eaters! So today he got to try a tube of kitten churu (aka kitty crack) and it was pretty darn cute.”
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
After starving for days in the forest, and then suddenly switching from kitten formula to meat, little Burr was a bit overwhelmed with everything. She got a little carried away and was found suckling on her brother.
Although it may seem cute and harmless at first, if left unchecked this action can have severe consequences.
The kittens that are getting suckled on can develop lesions or other injuries and suffer a lot of stress while the kittens who are doing the suckling can struggle with digestive discomforts.
This worst-case scenario happened to Burr, resulting in an upset tummy and diarrhea. As a result, she had to be separated from her brother for a while. Alyssa shared:
“This little 0.7 lb monster had to be separated from her brother for inappropriate suckling and diarrhea (which was most likely a consequence) a while ago. We finally found the right antibiotic for her and she’s doing soooo much better! It’s fun to watch a kitten start playing and stuffing their face after fixing a medical issue.”
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
When Burr was fully recovered, she and her brother were reunited.
As they were growing older, their true colors started to show through. After a month of living with their foster mommy, the poor kitties from the beginning of this story fully transformed.
Alyssa happily shared with her Instagram family:
“Bug and Burr, the meezer-panther duo, are full-fledged mini cats now! They climb, they wrestle, they harass me for snacks…BUT they haven’t yet figured out how to jump the playpen. I am not complaining.”
Credit: themarigoldkittencrew
And yes – their eyes really are that blue!
I encourage you to check Alyssa’s Instagram and follow her kitten rescue journey. She’s really doing an admiring job at helping felines in need and deserves all the support she can get.
Maybe we’re not able to directly rescue a feline – but we can always support those who are.
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