When a rural Illinois local walked into their barn one evening, they were shocked at what they saw.
They followed the noise of little whimpers till they came upon two tiny kittens in the back of the barn, crying and cold.
It was a chilly night and the rescuer knew they’d have to think fast!
Keep reading to find out what happened to these little kittens.
A Cold Winter Night
The homeowner could feel the night grow colder by the second as they considered what to do.
They wanted to get the kittens out of the cold, but they also weren’t sure if the mother was going to come back.
They decided that these kittens, being only two weeks old, couldn’t wait another second in this chilly weather.
With the kittens now indoors and warming up, their rescuer started making phone calls to find help.
A Helping Hand
The rescuer eventually got in touch with Alyssa Masten, the Intake and TNR coordinator at Anderson Humane in Illinois.
“They messaged me, and I was able to guide them through feeding and keeping the kittens warm throughout the night,” Alyssa said.
Being so young, the kittens needed to be fed around the clock every 2 to 3 hours.
Their rescuer was committed to making sure their bellies were full throughout the night.
In the morning, they took the kittens to Anderson Humane.
They were in very capable hands, but they weren’t fully out of the woods yet!
A Tiny Surprise
When Alyssa finally got a look at the kittens, she was surprised at what she saw.
One kitten was healthy and seemed big enough for his age.
However, his brother was the size of a newborn, despite being two weeks old.
“Most kittens who are that small for their age are very thin and unhealthy,” Alyssa said. “But surprisingly, other than an eye infection, he was quite healthy! Just very little.”
Alyssa named this tiny kitten Copper and immediately started helping him gain some size.
Road to Recovery
It took some time for Copper to open up to his rescuers.
“Initially Copper was very quiet and somewhat lethargic,” Alyssa said.
Copper’s eye infection started to clear up as Alyssa gave him eye drops.
“He had to be tube-fed kitten formula and received fluids until he was feeling better and had more energy,” Alyssa shared.
But, Alyssa could tell Copper was determined to grow big and strong, even if he was having trouble eating.
Coming Out of His Shell
After a few weeks, Copper started to gain more energy!
Eventually, his personality started to shine through.
“He’s a very happy boy and his meals are always followed by purrs,” Alyssa said.
Copper loves to nap and snuggle, but he also enjoys a little rough housing.
“He is at the age where he is also learning to play with his brother, who is still twice his size!”
Copper may be tiny, but it’s clear he doesn’t plan on letting that stop him!
Looking Forward to Forever
Copper is still too small to be neutered, so he’s going to be in foster care with Alyssa for a while longer.
However, once he is fixed, he’ll be on the lookout for a loving family.
Alyssa has enjoyed every moment she has gotten with Copper.
She is certain he will make his eventual forever family so happy!