A kitten with a stubby leg runs around with his sister in bliss after they were given a chance at life.
Earlier this year, a Good Samaritan from Southern California discovered a litter of newborn kittens in her backyard. The cat mother left her three babies behind and didn't come back to care for them.
The trio were cold and hungry, and the weather was too harsh for them to stay out any longer. "The finder brought them in and kept them warm," Erin, a foster volunteer of Wrenn Rescues, shared with Love Meow.
With the help of volunteers, the kittens were safely transported into a foster home with Erin.
They were placed into an incubator to keep their body temperature regulated. Erin began round-the-clock feedings while she showered them with TLC.
After days of painstaking care, one of the kittens, Pancake, sadly didn't make it. His siblings, Waffle and Toast, bounced back and started to put on weight.
"Waffle (black and white) was born missing his front leg but it never slowed him down," Erin said.
At just a few days old, Waffle proved that he could do anything if he put his mind to it. He waddled around with three strong paws and even tried to break out of the nursery.
At mealtime, Waffle insisted on being fed first and savored every mouthful of formula until his belly was completely filled.
His sister, Toast, didn't hesitate to speak her mind and quickly earned the title of Miss Diva. "This girl is stubborn, loud, not afraid to give you her opinions. She wants all the attention."
Toast became very close to Waffle and would snuggle up to him for comfort throughout the day.
Watch Waffle and Toast in this cute video:
When they graduated from the incubator, Waffle was determined to learn to run, play and wrestle just like any other kitten. "He was working hard to get his belly off the floor on only three legs. Waffle will never miss what he never had."
After a bit of a learning curve, the tripod kitty figured out his balance, perfected his gait, and started moving around with much more confidence.
"He beat Toast a few times to be the first in the food line. He was learning, adapting and moving just fine."
"Toast was more outgoing and had a lot of sass and moxie, and Waffle was the watch-and-observe kind of kitten. They were the ideal yin and yang," Erin told Love Meow.
"If Waffle wants your attention, he just meows at you and immediately snuggles into you and purrs."
At 10 weeks old, the brother and sister were ready to spread their wings and fly.
"Their new mommy waited a long time for them to be ready and it was worth the wait. They have gone to their forever home together. We are grateful and beyond thrilled to be a small part of their journey."
"Waffle does not slow down and completely loves life. He conquers every mountain he comes across. This boy is pure love, sweetness and entertainment."
Share this story with your friends. Follow Erin's foster kitties on Instagram @catasticalmeows.
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