Scared Rescued Kitten and a Giant Lab Have Formed an Amazing Bond
Betty was only 5 weeks old when she was rescued and brought to Jelly's Place in San Pablo, California, and she was not in the mood to trust anyone. The tiny kitten was weak, grumpy, and scared, but her life started to shift once a yellow lab named Truvy entered the picture.
What happened next at the animal shelter was equal parts heartbreaking and sweet. Volunteer Kendal Benken watched Betty go from hissing at everyone to slowly settling in with her new canine companions, and the change did not happen overnight.
By the time Betty began to relax, she had already found an unlikely friend who helped her feel safe. Read on.
I volunteer with a non-profit shelter called Jelly's Place located in San Pablo, CA. Someone in the community found her abandoned and brought her in.
Our best guess is that she was a kitten in a feral colony,
The abandonment left a negative impact on Betty.
She was afraid of everyone and would not let anyone come near her.
She was super scared and very hissy at first. No one could touch her, Kendal said.
She added, "We weren't even sure if she was male or female. She was only 5 weeks old at the time and most likely had never had human contact."
That first impression stuck for a while.
Betty took a long time to trust Kendal.
Kendal learned a trick to carry her: she would throw a towel over her head and wrap it around her. Only then was she able to bring her home.
Kendal explained Betty's ordeal: "She was not happy at all. But honestly, she was just really scared. With feral kittens, the best thing you can do for them is to put them in the center of everything and not let them hide."
"So I put her in a big dog crate in my kitchen. As often as I could, I would hold her, wrapped in a towel, and pet her head." Betty met Truvy at Kendal's home when she took her there.
Then the shelter routine took an unexpected turn.
When Kendal put her in the crate, her two dogs excitedly came to meet their new sibling.
They realized that the newcomer was not as excited as they were, but it did not affect them much. They were just happy to have her with them.
Truvy, Kendal's giant yellow lab mix, was the most taken with her.
"Truvy LOVES kittens! She must have been a mama cat in a former life. She was always licking her head when I would hold her," Kendal chimed in.
Betty learned to adapt to her new environment and warmed up to her new family members over the following weeks.
It was not easy; it took her days to rely on and trust Truvy and to come out of her shell. She finally accepted him as her friend.
Kendal explained, "I think because Betty was so young, she just accepted that it was normal for a giant dog to clean her. Betty absolutely loved Truvy and would curl up to sleep on her whenever she got the chance."
The following weeks were crucial, as they laid the foundation for Betty and Truvy's friendship.
That was the moment things started to click.
And if you need a brighter turn after Betty’s hissy fear, check out 40 Inspiring Tales And Heartwarming Images Of Joyful Pet Adoptions.
Kendal and Truvy helped Betty break out of her shell and transform into the sweet and loving kitten she is now.
"Once Betty stopped being so afraid, she was actually a really sweet, playful kitten. It was really hard for me to give her up. I really loved her.
But Roz was the perfect person for Betty! We still stay in touch, so I've gotten to watch Betty grow up," Kendal added.
With Truvy's and Kendal's love and care, Betty is ready for adoption.
Sharing her experience, Kendal said, "The only thing I would like to add is that I wish more people would consider fostering, both cats and dogs."
"I know it's hard to give them up. But the reward of taking in a scared animal and helping them gain the confidence to be a great dog or cat for someone else is truly a wonderful thing. And fosters are desperately needed across the country by shelters and rescues,"
Read on to see how people have shown their love for Betty's transformation story.
A happy ending like this is hard to ignore.
Heartbreaking like the puppies abandoned near a trash can, saved by a guardian angel, read here: Puppies Abandoned Near Trash Can Saved By Guardian Angel.
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