Hawaii Woman Saves A Kitten From Euthanasia And Now The Little One Thinks She’s Her Mom

Some stories start with a simple act of kindness that ends up changing two lives. For Katie, a music teacher from Hawaii with a heart big enough for a whole chorus of cats, that story began with a single phone call. 

She’s the kind of person who doesn’t just hum along to life, she makes it better for everyone, especially the ones with whiskers and paws.

Katie’s always had a soft spot for animals, and a few years back she decided to turn that passion into something meaningful. 

She started her own non-profit called Katie’s Kittenz, a small foster organization helping stray cats and kittens across Hawaii find loving homes. 

Over the years, she’s opened her doors, and her heart, to countless furry faces. But one kitten in particular, a little black fluff named Otter, turned out to be a story she’ll never forget.

It all began when Katie got a call from a local animal hospital about a tiny kitten who’d been found alone. 

The staff explained the kitten needed round-the-clock care, bottle feedings every couple of hours, warmth, and attention, and that they didn’t have the resources to keep her much longer. 

Many kittens in that situation don’t get lucky, but Katie didn’t even hesitate. She hopped in her car and drove straight to the hospital. She didn’t know this kitten yet, but she knew she wasn’t about to let her story end there.

When Katie first laid eyes on Otter, something felt a little off. The kitten wasn’t frail or starving, she was actually quite plump, clean, and well-fed. Katie’s instincts told her that Otter’s mom hadn’t abandoned her at all. As Katie shared in an interview:

“She was plump. She was clean. She was well-fed. So, the mother cat had most likely been doing an excellent job taking care of her.”

It seemed Otter had been mistakenly “rescued”, something Katie has since called kitnapping. On Instagram, she explained it perfectly: 

“‘Kitnapping’ is when people find kittens alone, and assume the kitten has been abandoned by its mother. Usually well-intentioned, these people take the kittens from their nest to try to find help.”

Sadly, there was no way to reunite Otter with her real mom, so Katie did what she always does, she stepped in. That first week was tough. She set alarms through the night for bottle feedings every two or three hours. 

She built a warm little nest lined with blankets and a heating pad, turning her home into the perfect haven for one confused but very loved kitten.

As the days went by, Otter proved to be one determined little soul. Katie often found herself amazed by her strength, saying, 

“I find her resilience really inspiring. When you think about all that Otter been through, she is still so strong, so tough, so spunky.” 

Still, something was missing. Otter didn’t have littermates, and the other foster cats weren’t too keen on making friends. 

“Kittens aren’t meant to be alone. Kittens are supposed to have a mother cat, they’re supposed to have littermates…so you can definitely tell that Otter gets lonely.”

Katie filled that gap with endless cuddles, love, and affection. Soon enough, Otter decided she’d found her mom after all. 

“Otter thinks I’m her mom! She just wants to be on me all the time. She won’t stop crying until I pick her up. She won’t stop nuzzling my hands until I pet her.”

Otter followed Katie everywhere, from the couch to the kitchen, always finding a way to curl up in her arms. 

Their bond became something truly special. But deep down, Katie knew her little foster story had an ending written in love, even if that ending meant letting go.

When the time came to think about adoption, Katie’s heart ached. Yet she reminded herself of what fostering is really about. 

“It would be selfish not to share her with the world. I feel so privileged to have gotten the opportunity to be a part of her story. I know that the rest of her life, wherever it is, whoever it’s with, is gonna be beautiful, is gonna be amazing.” 

Goodbyes are never easy, especially when you’ve loved and cared for something so small and pure. But foster parents like Katie remind us that love doesn’t end when you part ways, it just finds new places to grow.

And who knows? Maybe little Otter will end up being one of those happy “foster fails.” After all, when a bond is that strong, it’s hard to say goodbye for good.