Kitten Rescued from Drowning in Bucket Kisses & Snuggles Protective Dog

Foster kitten Laney and her two brothers were found in a bucket outside in Texas in January.

Filling with water and threatening to drown the 7-week-old kittens, a shelter in Texas, Lynn’s Animal Rescue, and Foster the Fur Babies worked together to save Laney and her brothers.

Rushing to the Rescue

Laney and her brothers, Ranger and Otis, were first rescued by a high-kill shelter in Texas.

Lynn’s Animal Rescue located in Marlton, New Jersey then took custody of Laney, her brothers, and approximately 22 additional cats from the high-kill shelter.

Because of the number of cats rescued, and the grave state Laney was in, Lynn’s Animal Rescue contacted sister team Gianna and Gabrielle, founders of Foster the Fur Babies for specialized care.

Getting to Work

Laney was so tiny at the time of the rescue.

Though she was estimated to be 7 weeks old, Laney was under a pound and much smaller than she should have been.

“She was so tiny she could have been 2 or 3 weeks. If we didn’t have her brothers, and we didn’t see her teeth, and if the vets didn’t confirm, we would have had no idea she was 7 weeks old,” Gabrielle said.

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Laney arrived at Gianna and Gabrielle’s home with labored breathing, stomach issues, and a worrisome eye infection.

While Ranger and Otis stayed with foster mom Megan of Foster the Fur Babies, Gianna and Gabrielle went right to work getting Laney the care she needed.

“I remember holding her in my hands, and she was so tiny. I was like, I don’t know if honestly she’s gonna make it,” recalls Gianna.

Sleeping Beauty

Within a few days of much needed medicine, love and a warm home, Laney began improving.

Although the vet told Gianna and Gabrielle that Laney might lose her eye from the infection, she began to open it!

With healing also came many cat naps.

“We thought she was going to be completely different than she is now! She was so sleepy because she didn’t feel good so just wanted to cuddle 24/7 and just be held and be on your lap,” said Gabrielle.

Laney would meow any time she was put down and didn’t want to be left alone.

Her favorite spot to nap was right against Gianna or Gabrielle inside their sweatshirt!

“We thought, oh she’s so sweet, easy going…then she started to play,” laughed Gianna and Gabrielle.

Tiny with a Big Appetite

Because Laney was so small when she arrived, mealtime was a slow and progressive process.

Laney began by eating small amounts of food from Gianna and Gabrielle’s hands.

Slowly, she worked up to freely eating when she was hungry.

“At one point, her belly got so big from eating so much that we thought something was wrong,” said Gabrielle. Gabrielle and Gianna rushed Laney to the vet, ready for the worst.

To their relief, the vet confirmed that Laney was just loving mealtime!

Sweet & Spunky

“And literally within a few days she was right back to her, I guess normal self,” said Gianna recalling the change from a sleepy Laney to a spunky Laney. “She just wants to play 24/7.”

With a belly full of food, Laney was bursting with energy. Nothing could stop her!

Laney can be found climbing dining room chairs, trying to get on the table, and running around with resident kitty Sirena and resident pup Gemma.

“She loves any toy, anything to play with,” says Gabrielle. “She’ll find a piece of random something on the ground and she’ll just play with it. She’s changed a lot but I’m so happy to see her healthy and her true colors come out,” added Gianna.

A Special Friend

Laney, being the sweet and friendly kitten she is, was determined to win the heart of Gemma, Gianna and Gabrielle’s adopted rescue dog of 5 years.

Laney would brush against Gemma’s legs and nudge her face as if she was saying, “Hi! Love me!”

At first, Gemma was a little nervous, but it didn’t take her long to give into Laney’s irresistible charm.

In fact, this was nothing new to Gemma. She has been a mother figure to many of Gianna and Gabrielle’s foster cats.

“She has been the BEST mom to every single fur baby that has entered our home,” said the sisters.

“She loves her forever fur siblings very much, but if they mess around with her kittens, she will step in between them and bark/grown to guard the kittens and get our attention,” the sisters continued.

Since being introduced, Laney and Gemma would be spotted cuddling, playing, and napping together.

The two share a special bond that melts the hearts of anyone who witnesses it.

Happily Ever After

To Gianna and Gabrielle’s surprise, Laney didn’t have any applications once she was no longer sick and tiny.

But soon, they found the perfect home for Laney.

Laney facetimed with her new human mom and 8-month-old fur sibling during the application process.

It was an instant connection and at the time of our conversation, Laney would be heading home in just a few days!

Laney’s brothers, Ranger and Otis, remained in foster care when we spoke with Gianna and Gabrielle.

Ranger and Otis are in search of a forever home where they can remain together.

Gianna and Gabrielle have fostered hundreds of cats and kittens in need.

They have founded and run Foster the Fur Babies in addition to their everyday fulltime jobs.

Because of fosters like Gianna, Gabrielle and Megan and the many other involved in this rescue, Laney, Ranger and Otis get to discover all of life’s joys – like a good meal and a warm snuggle in a sweatshirt.

Follow Foster the Fur Babies on Instagram to see more of their adorable rescue cats!