An Army soldier rescued a tiny tabby kitten and refused to leave her behind.
It was back in 2008 when Christine Bouldin saw a tiny kitten named Felix, who is quite special. She was at her final deployment in Afghanistan after eight years of service in the US Army. Christine instantly fell in love with the little special needs tabby.
Christine Bouldin
One day she was told that a cat and her kitten were wandering around the base in need of help. She immediately went to find them.
What she discovered was the tiniest little kitten with ears that were half his body size, and the kitty couldn't walk without flopping to the side.
"I'd never seen a cat like that," she told PeoplePets. "I felt so sorry for her. She couldn't stand up and would flip over."
Little Felix had Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), which affects her motor skills. She wobbles when she walks but is otherwise as healthy as a normal cat.
Christine Bouldin
At first the kitten was fearful of Christine and would hiss at her as she approached. But as cat mama began to show affection towards her human friend by rubbing up her legs, little Felix slowly came out of her shell.
Christine became their daily caregiver, bringing them food and water a couple times a day. The kitten went from very skittish to letting her human friend hold her as she ate to keep her steady.
The furry family started to thrive. And it was time Christine began to wonder how to get both kitties home safely.
That month, the cat mama suddenly vanished and left her baby Felix behind. Christine worried about the kitten's life and knew she had to do something quickly to keep her safe.
Christine Bouldin
Pets weren't allowed, so she and a friend made a makeshift home with sand bags for the kitten, but little Felix could easily climb over it despite being a little wobbly.
A friend later built a nice little house for Felix where Christine would visit twice each day to look after her feline baby.
She brought cat treats and boys sent by her family from North Carolina. Every day she looked forward to spend some quality time with her best friend. It was always the highlight of her days.
They became inseparable, and Felix would give Christine the biggest hugs every time she went visit. "She was so sweet and I could tell she appreciated me taking care of her when her mom left," she said. "She makes me cry sometimes still because she looks at me like I'm her mom."
Christine Bouldin
Christine began to search for ways to bring her kitten home. After being rejected to ride back to the States with her Felix, she refused to give up.
Then one day, while she was getting Felix some shots, a veterinarian introduced her to an animal rescuer in Kabul that might be able to help. She felt hopeful again, and immediately contacted Pam Constable, who agreed to foster Felix in Kabul and help get the kitten to her loving home in the US.
Christine Bouldin
"It was a little over an hour to get to our base from Kabul, and you're always in danger of IEDs … I was worried about her. I didn't know if I'd see her again — if they wouldn't allow me to bring her home. I'm pretty sure I cried," Christine recalled.
After a long journey, Felix finally made it home safe!
She has even found a furry best friend to cuddle with every day.
Christine Bouldin
Despite being little wobbly, Felix can pounce, play, jump like any other cat. She can use the litterbox with no problem at all.
"She found ways to do what she needed to do. It's very inspiring to see an animal like that just fight to live because so many people underestimate them," Pam told PeoplePets.
Christine says she can always count on her little feline friend to lift her spirits as she already did during her deployment over an over again. Felix brought her a sense of home and comfort during those darkest times, and Christine became her forever mom. They depended on each other then, and now they will never be apart.
"She greets me, and her little tail vibrates because she's so excited," she said. "(Felix is) an angel sent to me from God."
Christine Bouldin
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