A tiny kitten was found left behind as a newborn and brought back from the brink in the nick of time.
Last month, Caroline Grace, a foster volunteer of Saving One Life, was contacted about a newborn kitten desperately needing bottle feedings. The little neonate was less than 24 hours old and had been brought in by a kind man named Brent.
Brent regularly cares for feral cats in his neighborhood. When he discovered that a cat had given birth, he immediately built a shelter so the feral mom and her babies could have a safe and warm place to stay.
"When mama moved the babies into the shelter, she left one behind. Brent waited to see if she would come back for her screaming baby, but she didn't," Caroline told Love Meow.
He tried to place the single kitten in the nest to be with the mom and the rest of the litter, but was surprised to find him removed by the mother. "She rejected the baby once again and put him back out in the cold screaming."
At this point, Brent knew he had to intervene and brought the kitten inside to warm him up. He then started calling rescues for assistance. "Newborns are just so fragile that by the time he got to me, the kitten was hypothermic and non-responsive," Caroline shared with Love Meow.
"I spent the whole first day just working to get the kitten (Toby) warm enough to feed him and providing supportive care to keep him going."
Even when his body temperature was back to a safe point, Toby was still too frail to latch on to eat. Caroline began a strict critical care protocol and tube-fed the kitten around the clock for the next three days. On the fourth day, the little one finally turned a corner when he gained enough strength to suckle.
"He started to get stronger and healthier each day and his personality began to blossom," Caroline told Love Meow. "At just five days old, he started to purr. He would purr after every feeding while I held him."
Despite being pint-sized, Toby had quite the strong purr motor that switched on every time he was touched. He would gobble down the food like a champ, and roll over on his back for belly rubs after every meal. The happy boy simply couldn't get enough of his foster mom's affection.
Toby had a voracious appetite and quickly grew an adorable chonky belly. At 11 days old, his eyes cracked open and he took his first peek into the world.
"He crawled around and even poked his head up to investigate what was going on around him," Caroline shared.
The sweet kitten has been purring nonstop since he discovered his powerful little motor. He insists on being held and carried around the house whenever he's with his foster mom.
Watch Toby the kitten in this cute video:
He has become so adventurous and curious that his inner mischief is bursting at the seams.
Now that he has the strength to walk around, he's already honing his feline skills and exploring every nook and cranny that he can find.
Little Toby waddled about as he tried to find his footing and perfect his balance.
The sweet kitten has a very convincing gaze that gets him whatever he wants. All he needs to do is stare at his humans, and they happily oblige.
He instinctively knows that laps are for cuddling and napping.
"At 3.5 weeks old, he's still constantly purring. He loves to be held and to give face kisses. He is starting to get more playful as he discovers toys and his surroundings," Caroline shared with Love Meow.
"He loves to climb up and down my legs and explore all over the room. He lets me know if he needs something by looking straight into my eyes and yelling."
Toby has made incredible progress and blossomed into a healthy, chunky kitty. He likes to crawl onto Caroline's lap and nuzzle into her arms before purring himself to sleep.
"He loves looking at my face. He rolls over on his back after feedings and just wants to stare at my face. I also give him belly rubs that induce endless purrs," Caroline added.
"It's so sweet to watch him discover things for the first time like toys, the litter box, and how to climb," Caroline said. "He is the sweetest, most loving boy and whoever adopts him will be so lucky."
Share this story with your friends. Follow updates on Toby and Caroline's fosters on Instagram @babykittensfoster.
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