Horrified Coworkers Watch A Man Toss A Tiny Kitten Into A Storm Gutter In North Carolina

You know that feeling when your heart just sinks, and you can’t believe what you’re seeing? That’s exactly what happened one day in North Carolina.

Tarynn Byrum was at work, minding her own business, when a coworker came over and casually asked if she liked cats. But then the story hit like a punch.

From across the street, her coworker had seen something so awful it made Tarynn’s stomach turn.

A man driving by in a work truck had thrown a tiny orange kitten right into a storm gutter and sped off before anyone could stop him.

Tarynn ran outside, and there he was, a little ball of orange fur, barely bigger than her hand, looking scared and confused. Tarynn shared in an interview:

“I followed him outside, where he pointed out a tiny orange kitten lying in the gutter, peeking at us from over a parking barrier.”

Traynn scooped him up instantly and held him close. He didn’t fight at all. He was just… exhausted.

His fur was filthy and matted, covered in fleas, and his poor little eyes were crusted shut, so you couldn’t even tell what color they were, as she explained:

“I noticed he was filthy with matted fur and a nasty case of fleas. He also had extreme discharge buildup in his eyes to the point where you couldn’t even tell what color they were, which worried me as I didn’t want that to cause further damage.”

Tarynn knew he needed help, fast. She tucked him into a cardboard box and kept him safe for the rest of her workday.

The moment she could, she drove to the nearest emergency vet. She stayed there late into the night, watching as the doctors ran tests and checked over the tiny kitten.

When it was finally time to take him home, Tarynn thought maybe she’d foster him for a bit, get him healthy.

Next, she’d find him a loving home, as she shared:

“The plan was to get him back to 100%, foster him and find someone who would love him as much as I did, and be open to staying in contact so I could get updates on him as he grew.”

But as soon as she held him again, that plan flew right out the window.

It took one day, just one, for Tarynn to realize this little orange fighter was hers. She named him Nugget, and the bond was instant.

She shared the story on TikTok, and the video exploded, gathering over 300,000 views. People couldn’t get enough of the tiny kitten who had survived something so cruel.

Since then, Nugget has been thriving. He’s been to the vet regularly, taking his meds, and slowly putting on weight.

The first few weeks were tough. He had a heart murmur, thankfully minor, and an unbelievable number of fleas covering his tiny body.

The flea battle was intense, especially in the hot, humid North Carolina summer, but Tarynn didn’t give up. She gave him treatments, baths, and even deep-cleaned the house.

Nugget came through it all. He grew from less than half a pound to a healthy, full-sized kitten, and his personality was blooming more every day.

There’s a funny thing about Nugget, too: he doesn’t meow. Not a single sound. He opens his mouth like he’s trying, but it’s completely silent, as Tarynn said:

“Not sure why, it’s not a health issue or anything, but he just can’t meow! He opens his mouth, and it appears like he is, but it’s completely silent. It’s the weirdest thing.”

Looking back, Tarynn can’t believe how someone could do something so cruel to such a tiny, innocent kitten. But she’s also convinced it was fate.

The moment she found Nugget, it felt like they were meant to find each other. They clicked instantly, and she fell head over heels for him.