Kit, the kitten born in a van engine and rescued after a 60 mile ride, has graduated from foster care and is looking for a home. Kit was the sole survivor of his litter and had a special and very loving upbringing in his foster home, where he was befriended by the family’s two rescue dogs, Chilli, a Jack Russell terrier, and American bulldog cross Rodney. The caring pair showered the tiny cat with cuddles, cleaned him, and even taught him to play.
Chantelle McLaren-Smith found Kit near the end of February, after the van made its trip from Essex, UK to Hoxton, London. She tells the story:
“One of the kittens fell out as we walked past the van and we then heard mewing from inside the engine. We opened the bonnet and to our surprise and shock saw them all sitting there – the driver had no idea they were there when he drove all that way.
“Unfortunately, mum cat took fright and ran away – and I never found her again despite much searching. The babies she left were freezing, barely breathing and so tiny, apparently just a day or so old. One of the guys in the van tried so hard to resuscitate one of the kittens, by putting him in his glove and sitting with him in the van with heater on. But it was too late.
“It was a heartbreaking day for me seeing those poor little kittens like that – but I am so pleased to hear that Kit is doing so well now. A little bit of a miracle, I would say.”
Kit received round the clock care at the RSPCA’s Putney Animal Hospital in Southwest London, and was the only one of his little to survive. We posted a video of Kit being bottle fed on March 6: Newborn Kitten Found in Van is Rescued. Hospital staff member Sian Anderson and her family provided the motherless baby with foster care.
Putney Animal Hospital shared photos and videos of the little survivor with the public at their Facebook page. Our post from April 7, Sweet Kitten Found in a Van Gets Loving Care, features Kit’s photos, along with short video clips of him with his two doggie pals.
Now 9 weeks old, Kit has been transferred to the RSPCA – Wimbledon and District Branch for rehoming.
Foster mom Sian Anderson said: “Since he never really had the care he needed from his mum, we have had to give him extra special attention. At first he needed to be helped with going to the toilet, hand-fed with special milk every two hours including through the night, and, as he could not regulate his own temperature for himself, kept warm and comfy by us.
“Our rescue dogs Chilli, a Jack Russell terrier, and Rodney, an American bulldog cross, were especially vigilant carers. They washed him, played with him and taught him manners – as well as providing him special animal comfort in their cuddles that he would have been missing from his absent mum.
“I put it down to their care that Kit is such a special, mischievous and affectionate little fellow now despite his difficult start in life. He is just lovely to have around and will make someone a lovely pet.”
Kit has been paired with another kitten named Roman and the shelter hopes to rehome them together.
The SWNS news service video below combines clips from RSPCA videos and shows Kit with his two caring doggie pals.
Kitten born under the bonnet of a moving car find two unlikely friends:
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Quoted material for this story via RSPCA News South
