A tiny tabby who was one of the last kittens to be rescued, made an incredible transformation with the help of a family.
Frito the kitten was a couple of days old when he was brought to a city shelter in San Jose, California. Laura Malone, a director of Mini Cat Town, was contacted about the tiny orange tabby who was in desperate need of rescue.
"Single bottle kittens who are that young, are always rescued last because their care is so time-consuming. I had space and no one else wanted him, so I said I would foster him," Laura shared with Love Meow.
"He was so small and so vocal, I asked to borrow an incubator to help him get comfortable. This guy had the odds stacked against him."
Despite being a few days old, the kitten was just the size of a newborn. After a warm meal, it brought life back into his tiny body. Frito was strong-willed from the start, and in just a few days, he put on some much-needed weight and his energy level soared.
It didn't take long for the corn chip kitten to discover his penchant for pets and cuddles.
As soon as his eyes opened, his need for attention tripled. Foster Dad came in to offer some TLC while Laura was busy preparing the bottle. The tabby boy was an attention seeker and loved his food.
"With his excellent latch, he didn't waste a drop of formula."
Despite being very small for his age, Frito didn't let anything slow him down. When he figured out his legs, he quickly put them to good use, crawling and exploring inside the incubator.
The corn chip kitty wanted more playtime before other kittens his age were ready to play.
He joined the older foster crew and was immediately taken under their wing. He was the smallest of the bunch but held his own when they roughhoused together.
What he lacked in size, he surely made up for in personality. Frito gave the cutest scratchy meows and rumbled with his thunderous purrs.
The tabby boy had his foster family wrapped around his tiny paw. He had cuddles from Foster Dad on demand and became Laura's most spoiled nap buddy.
The corn chip kitten blessed every place he stepped paws in and never failed to put a smile to people's faces.
Frito blossomed into a gorgeous young tabby and was ready to find a place of his own.
"Not only did he grow, but he made lots of new friends," Laura wrote. "Part of what makes fostering a rewarding experience is knowing that these little guys not only survive, but that they grow and thrive in their new homes."
After weeks of searching for the right place, a family fell head over heels for the corn chip kitty. It turned out to be the perfect match.
"He went from a tiny little corn chip who beat the odds to a big city kitty. He is very adaptable and loves people and the attention they give him. He is as vocal as they come and loves to meow and squawk and squeak and purr all day long," Frito's forever human mom shared.
"His adorable and quirky little personality always brightens my day. He falls asleep in the weirdest positions. His favorite place is draped over my shoulder. And he brings a smile to my face with his perfectly timed meows and trills."
Frito has grown up to be a majestic orange tabby with glorious fluff and an incredible personality. He has a human mom and a feline sister, Luna, who love him to bits. It's hard to believe he is the same palm-sized wonder that they rescued.
"I will be forever grateful to his Cat Mom for giving him such a loving home," Laura wrote.
Share this story with your friends. Follow Frito and his adventures on Instagram @frito_kitty and Laura's fosters on Instagram @fosterkittyfamily and Facebook.
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