A litter of kittens came to the shelter for a chance at a better life. The runt of the litter is quite special.
Heather Spencer, a volunteer of Simply Cats (in Boise, Idaho) was contacted about a litter of kittens that needed a foster home. "My friend who does TNR (trap-neuter-return), rescued 19 kittens and brought them to the shelter," Heather told Love Meow.
She had space at home so immediately offered to help. One of the kittens stood out as being exceptionally small compared to her litter mates.
The kitten was named Winky, and despite being around two months old, she was just palm-sized.
Heather scooped her up and placed her in her arms. The kitten immediately switched on her purr motor, nuzzled her way onto her shoulder and curled up into a ball.
"She was just a few ounces and she was not shy at all. For being so tiny, she was incredibly brave and playful. Winky enjoyed snuggling into my shirt or hanging out on my shoulder," Heather shared with Love Meow.
Winky was born with dwarfism, a rare genetic mutation, which gives her noticeably short legs and a larger head.
She came to the rescue with some respiratory issues, leaky eyes and was put on a special diet for chronic constipation.
"She also has to have her eyes cleaned multiple times a day due to her eyes constantly watering. She has narrow nasal passages so she snorts a lot."
After many vet visits and a lot of patience and love, Winky's health began to improve.
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Though she was always a couple of months behind her siblings in weight, the tabby girl made up for her petite stature with endearing personality.
When she discovered toys, she became a ball of energy, going after them like a pro.
Winky is very laid-back and enjoys hanging out with Heather and her husband, snoozing away in the crook of their necks — her favorite pastime.
Watch Winky and her journey in this cute video:
Since day one, she has grown very attached to her foster parents.
When most of her siblings had been adopted, Winky and her sister Griphook (who sadly passed away) still had some growing to do.
It took another three months until little bundle of joy finally reached her big milestone — the 3-pound mark.
She was ready for her next chapter of life — to be adopted by the family of her dreams.
Winky isn't going anywhere as she has already found her perfect home. "She enjoys laying on my bed and kneading my pink fuzzy pillow while purring loudly," Heather told Love Meow.
"Winky is officially mine. She has stolen my heart."
Winky may be tiny but oh so mighty!
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Related story: Kitten Who Longed for a Home, Walked up to Man and Asked to Be Adopted