Walking home one day, on a wet and rainy night, she is surprised to see something moving on the footpath?
Kathryn van Beek was walking home one wet and rainy night in Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand when she gets the shock of her life! Seeing a newborn kitten, doing his best, crawling along the sidewalk with his umbilical cord still attached.
Not making a sound he was crawling along on his belly, he was probably trying to find his Mum. She immediately picked him up and took him home, giving him the meal he so desperately needed.
Had she not found Bruce as he came to be called, he probably would not have survived the night.
As it was, it was very much touch and go, with a very vocal and demanding kitten, a noise that very much belied his size.
Having to get up at all hours of the night to feed him was soon rewarded with his first purrs. Though he still had a long way to go!
Her love and persistence soon began to pay off.
Bruce weighed in at just over 100 grams after 12 days.
Bruce continued to put on weight, and as he did so his health continued to improve as well, and soon he finally opened his eyes.
Then loving to play as all healthy happy kittens do! Relaxing with his favorite toy.
Bruce quickly became a part of Kathryn’s family, filling a spot she did not know at the time was missing. Sometimes the most unexpected things in life can bring us the most joy and reward.
He now has his own website and his own Facebook page. And is now an international celebrity.
Kathryn went on to say:
“At first, I thought his chances of survival were pretty good,” van Beek said. “But over the next few days, he got sicker and sicker. As I researched newborn kitten care, I realized that a lot of kittens in Bruce’s situation don’t make it.”
Although the odds were stacked against little Bruce, van Beek was going to do everything she could to help him win the fight for his life. She started around-the-clock formula feedings — and while at work, made sure he always had a trained babysitter on hand to keep watch on him.
I’d pack him up with a giant ‘mom bag,’ drop him off before work and pick him up afterward,” van Beek said. “The round-the-clock feeds were a challenge.”
Now just over 2 years old, Bruce still has that same feistiness that helped him survive as a baby. He loves play-fighting with his big sister, Jager, and prowling around outdoors with his mom.
Although he marches to his own drum sometimes, Bruce makes sure to always show his mom how thankful he is to have her.
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