Hannah Shaw, neonatal kitten expert and founder of Orphan Kitten Club, recently started caring for a tiny kitten named Pixie. Pixie, who was born prematurely, weighed just 49 grams, making her one of the smallest kittens Shaw had ever seen.
“Normal birth weight for a kitten is thought to be around 100 grams,” Shaw told The Dodo. “So she was less than half of a normal birth weight.”
Pixie was in rough shape when she was first rescued and needed round-the-clock, intensive care. Shaw treated her with antibiotics and fed her through a tube, as Pixie was too young to even have a suckling instinct.
Shaw knew that in addition to the medical treatments Pixie was receiving, what Pixie really needed was a kitten companion by her side.
“When we have solo kittens, we always want for them to eventually have a friend,” Shaw said.
Luckily, just three days later, another preemie kitten fell into Shaw’s lap. This cat, named Puck, weighed 60 grams but was even more premature than Pixie. Shaw could tell that he was underdeveloped and was going to need a lot of help to grow big and strong.
“He did not have all of his fur yet,” Shaw said. “[Preemie kittens] have kind of a gummy appearance and texture to them when they’re still meant to be in utero.”
Shaw was excited to introduce Puck and Pixie to each other but knew she had to wait until they were medically cleared to be around other cats. Preemie kittens have underdeveloped immune systems, and it can be dangerous to take them out of isolation too quickly.
Finally, after two long weeks, Shaw was finally able to put Puck and Pixie together. She held her breath as they met for the first time. Pixie’s eyes had opened at that point, but Puck’s were still sealed shut, so he let Pixie sniff him curiously. Even though Puck couldn’t see Pixie, he seemed comforted by her presence.
“Puck did not open his eyes until, I think, day 25, which is insane,” Shaw said. “They usually open their eyes at 8 to 12 days.”
Unsurprisingly, the two tiny kittens became fast friends. Because Pixie was a few days ahead of Puck in age and development, she became the duo’s unofficial leader.
“Puck is a sweet little guy who sort of follows her lead,” Shaw said.
It’s now been almost two months since Shaw first met Puck and Pixie. In those months, the two cats have grown in leaps and bounds. They’re fluffy, rambunctious kittens, who love playing with toys and climbing cat trees.
“They may not be related by blood, but they certainly act like they are sister and brother,” Shaw wrote on Instagram.
Shaw was overjoyed to find an adopter who wanted to bring both Puck and Pixie home. Once they’re old enough, they will move in with their new forever family together. After everything they’ve been through together, it’s only right that they spend the rest of their lives playing and cuddling up together.
If you’d like to support Orphan Kitten Club, you can make a donation here. To keep up with Orphan Kitten Club, you can follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Tiny Munchkin Cat Arrives At Rescue And Staff Discover She’s A Medical Mystery“Short legs, big personality, and unfortunately … a body that chose violence against itself.”