A kitten came into the shelter needing more help than the other cats, and met an 11-year-old cat who taught him how to help.
Small FryAngelica
Four kittens — Big Mac, McFlurry, Chicken Nugget and Small Fry — came to the Arizona Humane Society with hopes of a better life.
Found as strays, the kittens required intensive care before they were healthy enough to be placed with a foster home. While caring for the kittens, Angelica, a neonatal veterinary technician at the shelter, noticed one cat that needed extra help.
The black and white kitten, Small Fry, was tiny: “He weighed just 188 grams, which is quite low for a four-week-old kitten,” Angelica told Love Meow.
Angelica
The kitten had difficulty eating from a bottle and had to be fed with a syringe. “It was difficult to feed him and he was very panicked. He was overwhelmed with excitement and hunger.”
Small Fry was placed in a foster home with his siblings, but was later returned to intensive care for treatment.
Angelica
While his siblings continued to grow up in foster care, Small Fry relied on his dedicated caregiver to make sure he had enough to eat. Angelica cared for Small Fry around the clock, making sure his every need was met.
After eating, Small Fry slept soundly in his blanket with his tongue out in a contented manner. “I looked at her every day and I fell in love with her so much that I decided to take her home.”
Angelica
Eventually the kitten got the hang of eating and began to gain weight steadily. He became more active, playful and cheeky, hopping from side to side and snatching the camera with his little paws.
She also developed a new love for food, impatiently demanding her next meal, taking bites from every cat bowl in the house and sometimes even falling asleep in her food while eating.
Angelica
Small Fry has finally caught up in size, but she needs a friend to show her the ropes, and under the same roof, a cat named Emilio is waiting to meet her.
Emilio found Angelica when she was just eight weeks old, and was drawn to small animals in need, so he gladly volunteered to help whenever Angelica brought her in for adoption. “Angelica is now 11 years old and still behaves like a kitten. Between the two of us, we’ve fostered 90 kittens.”
Emilio and his rescue catsAngelica
Small Fry was a little scared at first, as he had never seen an adult cat before meeting Emilio, but the friendly feline resident was patient and allowed Small Fry the time he needed to get used to him.
He reassures her that he means well and once she feels safe, he quickly protects her. Soon, Emilio is snuggled up next to Small Fry and offers to be his bedside man.
Angelica
Small Fry has become braver and more adventurous with her feline friend watching over her: “Emilio is always following her around and encouraging her to play. He’s really good at initiating play and setting boundaries.”
He has adopted many animals, including puppies and guinea pigs.
Angelica
At seven weeks old, Small Fry weighs just under two pounds. She has a big appetite, is adventurous, has a bulging belly and lives by the eat, play, sleep, repeat philosophy.
“She has boundless energy, quick reflexes and keen senses, all of which make up her intense drive to live and thrive.”
Angelica
Small Fry tries to appear twice as big as he is to Emilio, who is taller than him.
She practices her wrestling skills with a large stuffed animal while also honing her skills in ambushing Emilio while he sleeps.
Angelica
With the help of his foster mom and a loving resident cat, Small Fry is growing into a happy, healthy and energetic young cat.
Angelica
Share this story with your friends. Smallfry, Emilio, and Angelica’s foster parents’ Instagram.
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