A 5-month old kitten was trembling with fear when she was rescued, but her foster mom was determined to help her learn to trust.
Nikki Martinez and a few other foster volunteers, based in Las Vegas, came together to rescue a tabby kitten from a difficult situation where she was being used for profit online. The kitten named Olivia weighed only 3.2 pounds and was so frightened that she cried herself in a corner of the carrier.
"She was absolutely terrified. I've fostered hundreds of kitties over the years and have never heard a kitten scream in terror like she did," Nikki, Olivia's foster mom, told Love Meow.
All she wanted to do was hide in her kennel and bury her face in the corner. Nikki brought her some food and placed it inside the carrier. Despite being overwhelmed with fear, the hungry little tabby couldn't resist the offer.
As Nikki continued to talk to her softly, little Olivia began to respond while keeping her eyes closed and turning her face away, pretending to hide. By the time Nikki was able to hold her, Olivia was still shaking like a leaf.
To help socialize fearful cats like Olivia, Nikki wrapped her in a soft towel and held her close in her arms for a cuddle session. She could smell cigarettes reeking from her coat while gently patting her to calm her.
Olivia was taken to the vet the next day to get an exam and spay surgery. "Now, she will get to live out her life as a normal kitten, never having to worry about being used as a breeding machine," Nikki said.
Over the next few days, Nikki discovered that the sweet tabby was especially drawn to a specific toy. When Olivia decided to open up during playtime, it was quite a breakthrough.
"She's not motivated by food so I couldn't get her to open up that way, but I brought out a fishing pole toy and she absolutely loved it," Nikki said.
As Olivia became more trusting and comfortable around people, her voice sounded more confident. With help from her favorite toy, she was coming out of her shell like a champ.
"She loved this little ratty fishing pole toy. She purred as soon as she saw it so I put it on my lap during our forced cuddle session and she immediately relaxed," Nikki added.
Watch Olivia's foster journey in this video:
Nikki's resident cat and pup also offered a helping paw.
"Olivia's confidence was growing, and we found out she loves other cats and our dogs."
The tabby girl immediately took to Shadoobie the resident cat and started kneading away with her happy feet. She talked in her raspy meow while purring up a storm.
Frank the resident pup showered her with love and licks. Olivia didn't know how to react to the sudden affection but returned to her canine friend with some adorable head-snuggles.
"Little Olivia has made quite the transformation. When she first arrived she would literally scream in terror and shake because she was so traumatized," Nikki said.
A few weeks later, she couldn't wait for her foster parents to sit down so she could curl up in their lap.
"'Fostering saves lives' isn't just a hashtag, it's true! Shelters are starting to be overflowing with kittens this time of year. Many, just like Olivia, are old enough to eat on their own. They just need a home environment and lots of love to help them learn to trust and prepare them for their forever home."
Last Tuesday, Olivia found her perfect home with actress-singer Mandy Moore. After nearly a month, the sweet tabby finally had her dream come true.
Mandy stayed by her side on her first night home so she wouldn't feel alone. "She is just the sweetest thing ever. So affectionate," Mandy said in a message.
"She has so much confidence and spunk. We are totally in love with her already. She is so special."
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