When a lone kitten found herself behind a gas station in the Texas winter weather, she was hungry and afraid.
She just wanted some food and warmth, but was too shy to seek help from passersby.
Little did she know, help was on the way!
Keep reading to find out what happened next.
Rushing into Action
Around the same time that this kitten showed up at the gas station, a man named Brad had pulled up to get gas with his children in tow.
“I saw this tiny little black kitten in the back parking lot,” Brad said. “I said ‘look it’s a kitten!’ and all 3 of my kids immediately took off trying to help.”
Brad followed his children, and they were able to catch the kitten and bring her into their warm car!
“She was just this scraggly little girl,” Brad said. “She was looking pretty rough and hungry.”
The kitten was so cute, the children were immediately obsessed and begged their father to keep her.
But, Brad already had a full house, with multiple children and pets.
Would he be able to make room for one more?
An Important Decision
The children’s mother offered to temporarily take care of the kitten while Brad figured out if he could handle one more.
In the meantime, Brad’s wife, Brittney, noticed something unique in addition to this kitten’s cute face.
“I could tell right away she had feline dwarfism,” Brittney said.
This only became more evident over the coming weeks, as her cute little body started looking a little different than most other cats her age.
Brittney and Brad realized this could come with complications later on in life, which could be tough for the children to handle.
They talked with the children, however, and the children understood and were just as excited to take in this sweet kitten.
After a few weeks, Brad and Brittney had also come to a decision…
One Happy Family
“We knew there could be some complications later on because of her condition,” Brittney said. “But, ultimately, we just had to keep her. We couldn’t say no.”
So it was settled, the kitten would stay with the family!
Now, they needed to give her a name.
“We named her Toothless after Toothless from “How to Train Your Dragon”, because she looks exactly like him,” Brad said.
Toothless had recovered now and was starting to grow and gain weight.
She was just so cute, the whole family fell more and more in love with her.
Once Toothless was finally in her forever home, her true personality started to shine.
Spoiled Rotten
Toothless quickly established herself as the queen of the house.
“She’s very very spoiled,” Brad said. “She’s pretty much a diva.”
Everyone in the house doted on Toothless, even the children.
Toothless got along well with the other pets in the home, but was fairly shy.
Brittney and Brad also began to change parts of their home to fit Toothless’s size.
“Dwarf cats often end up having joint pain when they’re older,” Brittney said. “So, we give her preventative medicine and have installed custom steps for her in our house.”
Toothless’s family adores her, and she seems very happy with her family as well.
A True Adventurer
In addition to snuggling with her family and looking cute, Toothless also has become quite the adventurer!
“We got her a harness so we could take her outside,” Brad said. “She loves it so much.”
Toothless’s curious spirit will explore anywhere her little legs will take her!
She also enjoys hanging out in the catio.
“We call her the protector of the house,” Brittney said. “Because she’ll paw at the screen and make noises any time animals from outside get near the house.”
Happily Ever After
It’s been over 4 years of happiness since Brad found Toothless as a stray.
In each of those years, Toothless has become more and more accustomed to the routine the family has created.
She loves her morning tuna meal so much that she will come in and check on her parents if they are even a minute late to feeding her!
“We actually have to spell out T U N A so she doesn’t realize we’re talking about it and expect more,” Brittney said.
She has a special blanket that Brad made into a cubby for her to snuggle up in, as well as multiple other places in the home she has laid claim to.
Toothless really is living the dream, and it’s all because Brad and his children decided to do a good deed that December day at the gas station!
Click here to follow along with all of Toothless’s adventures on Instagram!