When a tiny cat named Pixie was found on the side of the road, everyone thought she was just a seven-week-old kitten. But as it turned out, she was much older than anyone expected.
After her rescue, Pixie was brought to a local animal shelter. Heather, the nurse who cares for kittens in need, said:
“Initially, they thought she was a kitten because of her size.”
Pixie weighed less than two pounds and was the size of a young kitten, but she already had adult teeth. The shelter guessed she was closer to a year old, making her quite a mystery.
The shelter reached out to Heather for help, asking if she could assist Pixie in gaining some weight, as they realized Pixie would need special care. But despite her tiny size, Pixie was full of charm. As Heather explained in an interview:
“Anyone who meets Pixie falls in love with her. She loves to be held on her back like a baby and trusts all humans. It was impossible not to love and fight for her.”
Heather immediately went to work, trying to get Pixie to eat better and treating her stomach issues. She tried all sorts of foods and gave Pixie extra care, but it became clear that Pixie wouldn’t grow to the size of a regular cat.
Although she stayed small like a kitten, Pixie acted like a full-grown cat, with a strong purr that always gave away her hiding spots.
“She is as coordinated as an adult cat, can climb, jump, and has moody moments. Her eyes are so expressive.”
Pixie enjoyed hanging out with Noey, a blind cat who was about the same age but five times bigger, but that didn’t bother Pixie. She knew how to rule over him.
She also befriended a seven-week-old kitten named Buttercup, playing and running around with him as if they were siblings. Buttercup loved to follow Pixie around, and it seemed like Pixie enjoyed having a little friend.
Pixie had a talent for finding the coziest places to nap. Whenever she found a bag of clothes, she would jump in and bury herself in the soft pile.
Heather worked tirelessly to help Pixie with her stomach issues, trying everything she could think of:
“We tried so many different things. It was two steps forward and one step back for a few months. Eventually, the shelter’s vet decided to try a fecal transplant (oral capsules).”
Thanks to Heather’s gentle care, Pixie eventually grew to 3.5 pounds as a fully grown cat. While she showed improvement, she wasn’t completely “fixed.”
Heather began to worry if Pixie would ever find a forever home, as she needed someone very dedicated and willing to provide extra care.
Then, Heather received a message from a woman named Trina, who had a cat with the same condition as Pixie. Over the next three weeks, they talked every day.
“She convinced me that she would do absolutely everything in her power to help her. Pixie’s new mom thoughtfully made plans for her home and medical accommodations. It couldn’t have been a better match.”
One night, Heather sat with Pixie to share the good news, and it seemed like Pixie understood every word:
“She slow-blinked, stretched her tiny paw onto my shoulder, and laid her head over my heart as if she understood and wanted to say thank you.”
After the months they’d spent together, it was hard for Heather to let Pixie go but she knew that Pixie was on her way to a great life. Trina was the perfect fit for her, and Pixie seemed to agree – she fell asleep and slept the whole ride in Trina’s nap.
Once they reached her forever home, Pixie quickly found a sunny spot by the window, and her purrs filled the room.
With the right treatment and diet, Pixie’s energy soared, and her real personality started to shine through. Besides Trina’s lap and her sunny spot, Pixie found herself a new favorite spot:
“Pixie climbed into a shopping bag hanging on a door and found a cozy new spot to chill.”
Pixie soon met the other cats in her new home, and it didn’t bother her that she was the tiniest, she knew how to get what she wanted and be the boss.
Today, Pixie is off her medication and she’s simply thriving with her forever family. She explores the house with her feline friends, then relaxes in one of her many napping spots, or cuddles up with her people. As Trina shared:
“I think she’s happy here and has settled in nicely with the rest of the herd.”
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