Cindy has always had a soft spot for animals. As a foster mom, she takes in pregnant cats and helps them deliver their kittens, then socializes the little ones until they’re ready for their forever home.
It’s a lot of work, but Cindy finds so much joy in it. After all, it’s hard to resist the charm of a kitten, and the mama cats always make things easier by doing most of the hard work.
One day, a tiny kitten named Tucker came into Cindy’s life. But his story was different, as this little furball had no mom.
Tucker and his siblings had been left in a box outside a shelter, needing immediate care. Sadly, his siblings didn’t survive, but Tucker was a fighter.
He was the biggest of the litter and it was probably that extra size, along with the right vet care and plenty of attention from the shelter, that gave him the strength to pull through, as Cindy shared in a YouTube video:
“He was the biggest out of all of them so I think he just may be at that kind of edge where he could recuperate a little better from that situation.”
Cindy immediately opened her home to him, knowing she could help him grow strong. Tucker’s journey was just beginning, and Cindy was ready to push him every step of the way.
Alongside Tucker, Cindy had another kitten, Rowan. He was an orange ginger boy who had already been through his own little journey.
Rowan was a little older than Tucker, about a month, and had already been promised a home. But just as things were falling into place, the adoption fell through. By the time Tucker came along, Rowan was ready for a new friend, as Cindy shared:
“He had a home lined up but it fell through right around the time that Tucker came into my home. My plan was to introduce the two boys to each other.”
Cindy knew that raising two kittens together was a great idea. They’d learn important things, like how to get along, how to play without being too rough, and how to socialize.
Roman and Tucker were perfect for each other and it wasn’t long before they formed a special bond.
Rowan was incredibly patient with Tucker. He played with him, taught him, and always made sure Tucker felt safe and loved. It was so heartwarming to watch how he took on the role of a big brother, as Cindy shared:
“It was really sweet to see how patient and how sweet Rowan was as an older kitten… It was a very emotional bond.”
It wasn’t just the kittens’ bond that pulled at Cindy’s heart – it was her own attachment to them too. Every time she saw them together, she could feel the love between them, and it made her heart melt.
She wanted to make sure they both found the best possible homes. And then, that day came.
Tucker and Rowan were adopted together by a family who lived across the country. When they arranged to pick up the boys, they didn’t mind the long journey ahead, as Cindy shared:
“They drove out across snowy mountain passes and picked the boys up, it took them about 17 hours to get home because of winter storms.”
Saying goodbye to Tucker and Rowan was bittersweet for Cindy, but she knew it was the right thing. She knew she could now take the next litter of kittens in need, but the ache in her heart didn’t go away, as she shared:
“It’s always a miserable joy, I call it. It’s kind of like when you’re when your kids are grown and you know they’re ready for college and it would not be fair to keep them always at home but it’s still a sad day.”
When Cindy heard updates from their new family, she was overjoyed. It was exactly what she wanted for them – to be surrounded by the love and care they deserved.
Knowing that Tucker and Rowan were happy and safe made every sleepless night, every moment of care, and even the difficult goodbye completely worth it.
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