A kitten with thumbs who was found in a sedan at a fire house, asked for affection when he realized he was safe.
Last week, firemen at the Torrance Fire Station in Southern California found a kitten in quite a pickle. "We found him behind one of the headlights in a sedan tangled in wires. The lady had driven over with him in there," fireman Cole shared with Love Meow.
"My partner managed to disconnect some wires and get him out. I used my box I use to store my bedding in, to house him at the station in our laundry room."
The kitten is a polydactyl with thumb-like extra toes. He was covered in dirt, so they gave him a quick bath before placing him in the makeshift bed layered with towels.
They picked up some food for the kitten after a medical call. "We used absorbent that we use on car accidents, in a rolled-up trash bag for a makeshift litter box."
Cole went to check on the kitten whenever he got a chance and made sure the little guy was hydrated and comfortable. "He was so stressed he slept most of the day. By the end of the day, he would be more comfortable being pet and would cry when you left."
"I called him 'squeaker' because he's got some pipes on him," Cole told Love Meow.
They reached out to their local animal rescue, Wrenn Rescues, so the kitten, named Goose, could get the care he needed to thrive. Nicky, Cole's wife, and her friend, Kelly, transported Goose to a foster volunteer, Nikki, that night.
"When Goose first got to me, they were right, he had some pipes on him. He let me know how he felt about his day," Nikki told Love Meow. "After a while he settled in, ate some food and went to sleep."
The next day, Goose was feeling more energized after being well rested and having food in his belly. Despite the bath at the station, he still had remnants of grease and dirt on his coat.
After removing all the pesky fleas and getting thoroughly cleaned with a second bath, Goose felt brand new and started running around, getting zoomies with his newfound speed.
Watch Goose the kitten in this cute video:
"I can only imagine how dirty he was at the station. After that he was a new man!"
Goose was underweight when he arrived, and scarfed down all the food he could fit into his tummy. He was pleased with his VIP life and that he would never have to worry about the next meal.
"He is jumping all around and playing. He's such a love-bug, big purr machine and opens up so quickly," Nikki shared with Love Meow.
"I'm sure that journey of his to the station was a very scary one for him, but now it's all up and up for this guy."
Goose has blossomed into a happy, playful, care-free kitten in just six days, being in a home environment. Soon, he will be joining other foster kittens, so he can have friends his size to play and snuggle with.
"He's up 275 grams in weight, his little face scabbies are coming off, and his energy is at 100%, 24/7."
"It's amazing to think only a week ago, he has gone from this underweight, wormy, and dirty kitty to this handsome feel-good boy," Nikki shared.
Share this story with your friends. Follow updates on Goose and Nikki's fosters on Instagram @nikkifosterscats.
Related story: Kitten with Big Bear Paws and Fearless Nature is So Excited to Run Around for the First Time