After An Abandoned Kitten Was Rescued, He Defied All Expectations With His Heartwarming New Purpose

So what did he find in the box? Well, when he took a peek, a bunch of tiny kittens peered back at him with wide-eyed innocence, almost pleading him to save them from the cold. There was no mother cat in sight and someone had obviously abandoned the poor things intentionally, perhaps assuming the farmers would take them in.

We’ll probably never know the truth behind the kittens’ origin story but at least we know what happened next. The cats were obviously too young to be separated from their mother, so they couldn’t fend for themselves. These tiny creatures may not have even survived the night, meaning that if the farmer hadn’t acted immediately the babies would likely perish. The kittens’ lives were on the proverbial knife edge.

The farmer couldn’t just ignore their cries, so it seemed that the cats’ fortunes were shifting. But life can be incredibly fickle, especially for helpless newborns exposed to the elements. And though the family did all they could for the creatures, tragically they were too late to save them all. The effects of neglect had already set in for one kitten and there was no way to reverse it.

Obviously the experience shook the farmers and they realized they couldn’t provide what these little kittens so desperately needed. With that in mind, they sought out experts who could help. Enter their local animal shelter, Chatons Orphelins Montreal, or COM. Despite the late hour, the kittens’ rescuers couldn’t sleep until they’d delivered the remaining babies to the shelter. It wasn’t a short journey, either.

In 2021 Chatons Orphelins Montreal told animal website Love Meow, “The family drove a long way at night to bring the kittens to us, so they could have a chance at survival.” And when the rescue group received the babies, they noticed something unusual about them. “We found out that the two kittens are not from the same litter,” the shelter revealed.

The kitties were completely different colors: one was orange, the other gray. “The orange kitten was estimated to be four weeks old and the gray kitten still had her umbilical cord attached,” the rescue organization explained. That means they must’ve been abandoned very soon after the latter’s birth. Despite the fact that the cats weren’t biological siblings, though, they were inseparable.

“They were named Ron [orange] and Ginny [gray],” COM continued. “The orange tabby was often seen wrapping his arms around the tiny kitten when they napped. Ginny, whose eyes were still closed, clung to the bigger kitty for comfort and warmth.” And Ginny was fortunate to have her older brother, because heat’s a necessity of kitten care. It’s more complicated than you’d think.

This is because kittens can’t regulate their own body heat until they hit three weeks old. Before then, their life’s in danger if their temperature drops too low, so they usually rely on warmth from their mother or siblings. If neither is available, though, they’re at the mercy of the elements… or depend on their surrogate human family to provide for them.

In fact, they require 24/7 attention if they’re to survive those first tough weeks. And as the farming family learned, occasionally even that isn’t enough. But for babies to have the best chance they need your undivided attention. Of course, if they’re separated from their mother as Ron and Ginny were, they’ll need feeding, too.

Even feeding baby kittens has its intricacies. You should only use warmed kitten milk replacer — or KMR — and only feed them while they’re on their stomachs, not their backs. Babies as young as Ginny and Ron need milk every couple of hours, day and night. Plus, they even need their foster parents to manually stimulate them into going to the toilet after feeding!

And it seemed like COM’s hard work was paying off. “Their foster mom bottle-fed them every two hours around the clock,” the team told Love Meow. “They perked up and started to put on weight.” Even through all this, mom wasn’t on her own. She had Ron’s help, who continued to be an invaluable asset in tending to his sister while fighting for his own survival.

“Ron was very small himself,” COM reported, “but was a great help to the other kitten and tried to care for her. Despite being three weeks apart, Ron was with Ginny the whole time showering her with snuggles and kisses.” And it turns out that for such a little kitten Ron has a huge heart! He had a lot of love to give, as his foster mom discovered.

You see, Ron and Ginny weren’t the only kittens in need of COM’s care. A tiny cat called Scottie had suffered just as tough a start to life as they did. She was born into a litter with a bunch of brothers and sisters but they’d all been left inside a wall. The COM team came to the rescue, though even they couldn’t prevent a large-scale tragedy.

All the other kittens passed away, meaning Scottie was the only survivor. This was incredible because, as the smallest of all the babies, she was the least likely to make it through! And while the little cat didn’t escape unscathed — she was plagued by ill health initially — a lot of love and care bought Scottie a second chance. As attentive as her human was, though, the kitten was missing cat companionship.

Considering how affectionate Ron was with Ginny, COM reasoned that nurturing came naturally to him. So they paired him up with Scottie to see if he’d take her by the proverbial paw. And it turns out they were right — Ron formed a bond with his new pal right away and convinced her to play with him. It wasn’t long before they were cuddling together, too.

And their connection only strengthened as they grew older. Ron and Scottie are a similar age so they have comparative levels of energy, making them ideal playmates. COM elaborated, “If we try to look for Scottie, we will find Ron, too. They do everything together and Scottie is so happy to have a friend to play with at last.”

So Ron was just what Scottie needed. In fact, she has some issues with separation, which is understandable considering how she came into the world. “Scottie doesn’t like to be alone and will cry for attention until she finds company,” her rescuers explained. “She adores other cats, especially Ron. Even though they aren’t from the same litter, they’ve been acting like siblings since the start.”

And it isn’t just Scottie that Ron’s been taking care of, either. He’s become a brother figure to other foster kittens since, though he’s gentler with the younger ones. He treats them like the babies they are, with lots of hugs and kisses. Then when it’s playtime, he has a pal in Scottie to wrestle with and burn off some energy.

Ron’s work is far from over, though. COM’s always looking to help new strays and rescues go to volunteer foster homes. These caring people dedicate their time and love to giving homeless cats a new lease of life for no profit, including older cats who often get passed over for those looking to adopt kittens, particularly those with health problems.

A tabby cat named Bruce Willis at an animal shelter was struck down by illness, including one particularly nasty condition. Plus, he was sadder than most cats and looked beat up and tired of life. He’d not known anything other than the street, you see. Would Bruce survive long enough for someone to adopt him?

In Bruce’s case, he’d been a stray for a large portion of his life. The tabby was roughly six years old when Minnesota’s Animal Humane Society welcomed him through their doors. But the poor kitty wasn’t in the best of shape at that time due to his lengthy spell in the wild.

Bruce had a scarred eye and damaged teeth upon his arrival, reported the website Love Meow. One of his ears wasn’t looking too great, either. The description alone is choking us up! And although the cat received the treatment he needed at the shelter, there was another issue bubbling away in the background.

Yes, Bruce was suffering from another serious medical condition alongside his other ailments, one that would've turned most cats into total sourpusses. Regardless of the pain Bruce was in, however, he was incredibly affectionate towards those working at the facility. Not all strays are like that when they’re rescued.

Love Meow reported that Bruce adored hugs, because they drew out a satisfied, loving purr. Aww! How cute is that? And the folks at the American Humane Society gave the tabby his eye-catching name ahead of an important decision. The time had come, you see, to find him a family.

Around 2.1 million shelter felines find new homes every 12 months, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ website. That’s a lot of cats! So it’s fair to say that Bruce had plenty of competition when it came to finding him a new family. 

Yet Bruce had an ace up his furry sleeve – his loving nature. The tabby purred like mad when people would get close to his enclosure at the facility, reported Love Meow. It seemed that he was more than ready to start a new chapter in his life away from the streets.

The workers at the American Humane Society tried to do their part as well, taking to social media to gush about the cat's sweet nature. A post on the facility’s Facebook page read, “Bruce is the sweetest and most affectionate boy around. All cheeks and love, he will brighten every day you spend with him.”

Unfortunately, though, Bruce's rough appearance proved to be a stumbling block to adoption. Regardless of how friendly he was around visitors at the shelter, none of them took a chance on him. Yet he did catch someone’s eye thanks to the shelter’s social media posts. The person in question was Sandra Daniloff.

And fittingly, Daniloff first spotted Bruce’s photograph on International Cat Day. It’s August 8 if you want to mark it down in your calendar! Anyway, she looked back on her initial reaction while speaking to Love Meow in September 2019. She said, “When I saw his picture, it just spoke to my heart.”

So what happened next? Well, Daniloff made her way to the shelter to see Bruce in the flesh. But that trip proved to be a lot harder on her than you might think. She revealed more when she spoke to Good Morning America in June 2021. We hope you’ve got some tissues ready.

Daniloff recalled, “Looking at [Bruce] is just like, you can tell he had been through a lot. And it looked a little bit like he had given up on life in a way. I was like, ‘Why am I putting myself through this?’ Because he looked even sadder in real life, especially at the time.”

“I could only stay there for a couple of minutes because I got so sad,” Daniloff continued. “I almost started crying. I’m like, ‘No, what’s the point of this since I can’t get him anyways?’” Yep, even though Bruce had caught her attention, the landlord for her home had a strict rule in place that stated no animals were allowed.

Yet Daniloff continued to get online updates on Bruce’s status after that. She was desperate for someone to take him, given that she couldn’t adopt the adorable tabby herself. Plus the Minnesota resident struggled to stay away from the shelter as well. Something tells us her new friend stole her heart!

Daniloff told Good Morning America, “I went back to [the shelter] after the first time. For some reason, I couldn’t let [Bruce] go.” And yet the tabby cat’s health was starting to deteriorate. Bruce developed an upper respiratory infection during that time, according to Love Meow. 

Those were tough times for all concerned, yet Daniloff came up with a plan. As Bruce continued to get ill, she decided to step up in a major way. So what did she do? Well, the feline’s new pal outlined her aims while chatting with Good Morning America.

Daniloff revealed, “I told myself that if he hasn’t got adopted by a set date, I’m going to ask my landlord if I can get him. I sent them a text, actually, with a picture of Bruce.” The aforementioned message explained his health situation as well, which eventually led to a response.

Yes, despite the landlord’s “no pets” rule, they opted to overlook it on this occasion, allowing Daniloff to adopt Bruce. What a lovely gesture! But as happy as that answer no doubt made her, she was well aware that taking him in would come with its challenges.

“Part of me was like, ‘What am I getting myself into?’” Daniloff told Good Morning America. “I knew [Bruce] would need a lot of medical care. But then, when I went to visit him the next day, and I looked into his eyes, I was just so happy that I could get him out of [the shelter].”

So what was actually wrong with Bruce? Aside from the respiratory infection he picked up at the facility, of course. Well, the lovable puss was carrying something called Feline immunodeficiency virus when he arrived at the Animal Humane Society. It isn’t something we'd wish on any cat. 

The condition, which is also known as cat FIV, attacks the animal’s immune system, leaving them at risk of picking up other illnesses. They also find it tougher to overcome those conditions compared to healthier felines. In Bruce’s case, he was dealing with eye and ear infections when Daniloff adopted him, as well as a cold. Poor fella!

 As for how cats get FIV, it’s usually transmitted via “a deep bite” from afflicted felines, according to WebMD. Given Bruce’s appearance when he first arrived at the shelter in Minnesota, we wouldn’t be shocked if that had happened to him. The scars on his face were pretty telling: he’d probably been scrapping with other cats!

And WebMD stated that lots of cats with FIV eventually get blood disease or cancer due to the condition. The website furthermore cited a report claiming affected felines had a life expectancy of roughly five years from the point they’re diagnosed. Yet that isn’t set in stone – the forecast can be a lot brighter depending on the cat-patient.

Now, we know what you’re thinking – what does that mean for Bruce? How was his health after Daniloff brought him home back in 2019? Well, she opened up to Good Morning America about the feline’s initial reaction to his new surroundings. It’s fair to say that he was in awe of his new home — perhaps even intimidated.

Bruce's early days in Daniloff’s apartment were a bit rocky, to say the least. Though he made himself at home fairly quickly, all he'd ever really known was the street. How did he react to a new domesticated environment over time? Well, his owner recalled a heartwarming moment while talking to Love Meow.

“[Bruce] came into the bathroom when I was showering one day,” Daniloff informed the website. “And [he] looked at me and started meowing as if he was trying to call for help to rescue me from the water.” He’s shown off his protective nature in other ways, too.

During her chat with Good Morning America, Daniloff said, “Wherever I am, [Bruce] will always be close to me. I can’t walk into the bedroom or the kitchen, or anywhere really, without him wanting to follow me.” Bruce sounds like a great companion to have around the house, though it wasn't all smooth sailing.

Bruce showed a fair bit of wariness around certain objects in Daniloff’s apartment at first. That shouldn’t be too surprising, though. We can’t forget that this little fella had lived a large chunk of his life on the streets. In fact, according to Daniloff, he seemed to be in awe of his comfy new surroundings!

Daniloff said, “It was like [Bruce] realized straight away that he was home. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier cat before. He was purring and purring. He walked around the apartment for maybe ten or 15 seconds, and after that it was just like, ‘Yep. This is where I live now.’ He was so happy.” Miraculously, his newfound happiness also led to newfound healthiness.

You can see his physical improvement simply by looking at him. Bruce certainly looks like a completely different cat today. In the years following his adoption, the adorable puss has undergone a truly wonderful transformation, appearing a lot healthier than before. Sure, he still has FIV, but his owner had this to say about it to BoredPanda.

“Right now, I can’t notice [Bruce’s] disease at all,” Daniloff noted. “I’m just making sure I’m doing what I can to keep him happy and healthy. We’ve had our ups and downs. He was very sick for a while and we had to go to the vet all the time. [But] luckily, he was able to fight off all the infections.”

That’s great to hear, right? Talk about overcoming difficult obstacles. Bruce is one resilient cat! Going back to his remarkable transformation, Daniloff was at a loss for words. We don’t blame her. It really is like night and day compared to his stint at the Animal Humane Society. His newfound appearance is something no one saw coming.

Daniloff told Good Morning America, “I’m so surprised that [Bruce’s] appearance has changed so much. I didn’t expect that. So, it’s weird to now go back and look at the photos of what he looked like back then.” Speaking of pictures, that brings us onto Bruce’s Instagram account. That’s not a typo!

Yes, Daniloff created the social media page for her pet cat after she adopted him in 2019. Since then, she’s shared hundreds of images of Bruce around her home, capturing their journey together as pals. And it’s safe to say those posts have stolen the hearts of Instagram users everywhere, too — just check out their follower count.

At the time of writing, Bruce’s page had around 130,000 followers. No joke! Most of us can only dream about hitting a figure like that. Yet the little guy deserves all the attention and adulation that comes his way thanks to the strides he’s made with Daniloff by his side. As Daniloff explained, it was a very long road to recovery...

Alongside a distrust of prone hairdryers, Daniloff told Good Morning America, “[Bruce] was a little bit scared of my toothbrush at first. But now, that’s something he’s gotten used to. He’s just such a character!” We’d say that’s a pretty accurate assessment. At least Bruce has the chance to explore the world a bit more; not every shelter pet is so lucky, something Daniloff spoke passionately about.

Daniloff made an emotional point at the end of her interview with Good Morning America. It harkened back to the time when Bruce was at the Animal Humane Society and couldn’t find anyone to adopt him. In her opinion, people should be more open to taking the perceived risks that come with cats like him.

Daniloff added, “It’s so worth getting a cat that’s been at the shelter for a long time, one that’s older, or maybe has special needs. Yes, they will probably demand more from you...But in the end, it’s always worth it because they give you so much in return.”