A kitten snuck into a couple’s life when they weren’t looking and didn’t know they needed her.
LavenderHaley Waugh
A tiny orphaned kitten arrived at Front Street Shelter needing a bottle feeder and ended up finding the perfect person.
Haley Waugh who works for the shelter, had a rough few weeks after losing two special needs animals that she had tirelessly cared for. “One of my coworkers walked over and held a kitten up in front of me,” Haley told Love Meow.
She gently placed the delicate baby into the front pocket of her overall, and the kitten snugged right in.
Haley Waugh
Instantly, Haley smiled and felt a sense of ease that she hadn’t had in weeks. She could hardly form words with her cuteness-addled brain. “I knew I was taking her home to foster.”
The kitten, Lavender, was found as a newborn in a backyard without a mother and other siblings. She was very small for her age but didn’t lack an ounce of sass.
Haley Waugh
For the first 24 hours, she would hiss and spit at any new scent. The next morning, her walls came down when she realized Haley was there to provide food and love.
Her hisses were diminished and replaced with squeaks and meows. When she heard Haley’s voice, she would perk up and wobble over to be fed.
Haley Waugh
With a ravenous appetite, Lavender quickly gained a rotund belly. She would scrabble for the bottle and fill her belly to the brim.
“I can’t deal with this level of cute and fluffy in such a tiny package,” Haley shared. “Lavender is somehow getting fluffier and more amazing by the day.”
Haley Waugh
As the kitten grew bigger, she became bolder and more adventurous. She began to explore every nook and cranny and follow Haley and her partner (aka foster dad) around the house.
She would often lie on her back with her belly exposed, paws up in the air while sticking out her tongue or showing off her tiny teeth.
Haley Waugh
Despite being the smallest of all the animals in the house, Lavender felt like a giant, a dynamo of unbridled energy. She would scamper, hop, pounce around nonstop, all while puffing up her fur.
When she tired herself out, she would settle next to a resident cat or dog and knead away on a soft blanket or sunbathe by the window.
Haley Waugh
Soon, Haley realized she no longer needed an alarm clock as Lavender would engage in morning zoomies on her bed. “I wish I had just an ounce of Lavender’s energy,” Haley shared.
Around Christmas, Lavender was finally ready to graduate from the foster program and find her forever home.
Lavender and resident cat TortelliniHaley Waugh
“I’m so happy to share Lavender is an official member of our family. She came to us after two really hard back-to-back losses and made herself right at home,” Haley shared.
“Although I wasn’t planning to adopt anymore pets, the universe sent her at the perfect time, and she meshes so well with our family.”
Lavender gets along beautifully with everyone in her big familyHaley Waugh
Lavender has helped several foster animals since then, one of which was Pickles the pup. She taught him how to wrestle and practiced playing chase with him.
Lavender and Pickles the pupHaley Waugh
Lavender has a big family (human parents, three cats, and two dogs) that adore her to pieces. She continues to create antics around the house and bring endless joy to everyone around her.
Haley Waugh
Share this story with your friends. More on Lavender and Haley’s fosters on Instagram @fosterpetsofsac.
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