A woman spotted a little kitten wandering around in her garden near a shed. The kitty was a bit wobbly, and she was not alone.
Ani from Montreal, Canada saw the little tabby waddling around outside in the cold. Upon investigation, she was surprised to find another kitten with her.
The two feline siblings were trying to stay warm under the cover of her shed. When she tried to approach them, she noticed that the tabby had some tremors and trouble walking.
Knowing that chances of them surviving in this condition, on their own, were slim, she set out a plan to rescue them. With some food and a lot of patience, not only did Ani catch both siblings, but also their cat mom.
She sent out a plea online, hoping to get the feline family the help they desperately needed.
Chatons Orphelins Montréal, a local animal rescue, responded and immediately offered to help. They took in the kittens, and the mother cat was spayed and went to a different rescue for a chance at a better life.
"The kittens were very fearful when they first arrived. They were about three months old and both wobbly. The little sister has more pronounced Ataxia than her brother," Celine Crom of Chatons Orphelins Montréal told Love Meow.
The two siblings clung to each other at the clinic as they were scared of the new environment. They had had very little contact with humans and would need specialized care to help them learn to trust and adjust to an indoor life.
They were named Poutchi (ginger) and Mila (tabby).
While the ginger brother started to make progress in foster care, Mila needed more attention to help her learn to eat, drink water and accept love and pets from a human friend.
"Poutchi quickly came out of his shell, but if there was any sudden movement, he would panic and try to hide," the rescue said. "He was very surprised when we tried to cuddle him, but as soon as he was held, he began to purr and fall asleep."
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It took him some time to realize that cuddles aren't that bad. Once he experienced love and comfort, his personality started shining through.
"He may be a little clumsy but he doesn't fall unless he moves very fast. When you wrap him in a towel and hug him, he closes his eyes and is ready to nap," the rescue said.
"Poutchi is a sweet guy. He lived in fear outside for so long, and now he just wants comfort and company."
On the day Mila came to her foster home, she would hiss and swat out of fear. Her foster mom spent ample time with her, fed her by hand, tried to calm her down by talking to her in a soft voice.
Once Mila got her first chin scritches, she went through a mix of emotions - she was fearful at first and had the instinctual reaction to fight back, but then she quickly found herself unable to resist the comfort of pets, and let out a tiny purr that she never knew she had. (Scroll down for video)
After a few weeks of tender loving care, Mila really came around.
The fear in her eyes vanished over time, and she realized how good it made her feel to be loved and cared for. "She has adapted quickly and loves having a human mom who takes care of her for everything."
"She trembles a bit when she walks, eats and plays, but she is getting better and better each day," the rescue added. "It's amazing how she managed to survive the outdoors with her disability."
Mila is a little fighter, and now she's turned into a cuddle-bug.
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Watch their rescue journey in this video:
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Related story: Sibling Kittens Both Born Special, Keep Each Other Safe Until Help Arrives