Rejected By Their Mamas, Milwaukee Kitten And Puppy Won’t Leave Each Other’s Side

orphaned kitten and puppy

Life doesn’t always start out easy, and for two tiny babies in Milwaukee, things looked pretty grim at first.

But sometimes, the most beautiful friendships are born from hardship, and that’s exactly what happened with Kangaroo the kitten and Possum the puppy.

It all began when a stray cat gave birth in her caretaker’s garage. But the man who had been feeding her quickly realized he couldn’t take care of them all.

Wanting the best for the little family, he called in Emilie Rackovan, a local animal rescuer. Emilie brought them into her care to give them a chance at a brighter future.

orphaned kitten
Credit: Emilie Rackovan

Among the newborn kittens was a tiny one named Kangaroo. Unlike her stronger siblings, Kangaroo was frail and much smaller.

Focused on raising the healthiest babies, her mom instinctively rejected Kangaroo.

Emilie stepped in with bottles and formula, hoping to raise Kangaroo herself until she grew strong enough to rejoin her litter.

But the little kitten cried constantly, desperate for the warmth and comfort her mother wasn’t giving her.

orphaned puppy
Credit: Emilie Rackovan

Around the same time, a dog gave birth to eight little puppies at the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission.

Emilie offered to foster them, knowing how stressful and dangerous a shelter can be for newborns.

Among them was one special pup, Possum, who was noticeably smaller and weaker than her brothers and sisters.

Sadly, Possum’s mom wouldn’t care for her either, leaving her to struggle alone.

tiny kitten and puppy sleeping
Credit: Emilie Rackovan

Emilie couldn’t ignore the parallels between Possum and Kangaroo. Both babies had been cast aside, both were fighting for survival, and both needed round-the-clock bottle-feeding.

That’s when Emilie had an idea that would change everything. She placed Kangaroo and Possum together, hoping they could comfort each other.

To her amazement, the crying stopped instantly. Instead of wailing for their absent mothers, the kitten and puppy curled up against one another, finally content.

They found the warmth and security they’d been searching for in each other’s tiny bodies.

kitten and puppy lying together
Credit: Emilie Rackovan

From that moment, they became inseparable. They slept together in the same incubator, shared every feeding, and snuggled so close it looked like they were born siblings.

Under Emilie’s loving care, both babies began to thrive.

Kangaroo put on weight and started to find her strength, while Possum’s playful side emerged as she wiggled and bounced around with her new best friend.

Every milestone, every meal finished, every nap snuggled, every curious exploration, they tackled together.

kitten and puppy sleeping
Credit: Emilie Rackovan

The plan is for both babies to eventually reunite with their siblings if possible, once they’re strong enough.

But even if that doesn’t happen, their friendship has already given them something irreplaceable: a family in each other.

These two may have been rejected by their moms, but they’ve found something just as powerful: a bond that proves family isn’t always about blood. Sometimes, it’s about who shows up to love you when you need it most.

Read next