Last Christmas, I was mourning the loss of not only my sweet dog that I had raised from the age of four weeks, but also one of my cats earlier in the year. Both were sudden and unexpected deaths. I had just moved into a new apartment, and being in the mountains, I was afraid that my other cat, who is indoor/outdoor, would get snatched by a predator. I asked my sister and brother-in-law to take her to live at their house, since they have a big, fenced backyard in a quiet neighborhood in my hometown. I was all alone with no pets for the first time in over six years, and feeling tremendous sadness.

I went to my hometown for Christmas, a few hours’ drive from my place, and headed over to my sister’s house to see her and my calico. I turned onto the dirt road to their house, adjacent to a large empty field. Out of the corner of my eye, in the field, I saw something small and orange — a kitten! He ran into the weeds where a dead tree lay overturned. I told my sister, and we started looking for him. She spotted him under the dead tree, and while he focused on her, I sneaked up behind him and grabbed him.

At first, he was feral, biting and fighting against me. He couldn’t be more than 6-8-weeks-old. I brought him to my parents’ house and spent the next week giving him food, water, and cuddles. It didn’t take long for his feral nature to melt into a loving, affectionate kitten. I named him Percy, and he’s my best buddy now. I am raising him to be an indoor-only cat in my mountain apartment. I think that my furry loved ones across the Rainbow Bridge sent him to me, knowing I needed him.

P.S. – My calico is happy as ever living with my sister, and my niece absolutely adores her.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story !