A cat eagerly wanted to be with a new kitten who had been scooped up from a car lot. They are the cutest thing.
Parker the kitten and Phoebe the calicoErica Whitsell
About a month ago, Erica Whitsell, a veterinary technician and a kitten rescue advocate, was notified about an orphan kitten desperately needing help.
The kitten had been found all alone in a car dealership lot without a mother in sight. “The finders did the right thing by waiting and monitoring the situation to see if the mom came back, but she never did,” Erica shared with Love Meow.
After Erica saw the plea for help, she didn’t hesitate to take on the kitten. “She was transported to me and I got to work.”
Parker was found alone in a car lotErica Whitsell
The kitten named Parker was around 5-6 days old and incredibly underweight, less than the size of a typical newborn. “You could tell she hadn’t eaten well for a couple of days because she was just skin and bones.”
There were uncertainties for the first 24 hours as Parker was very tiny and frail. Erica provided a warm and comfortable nest and immediately started bottle-feeding her every couple of hours.
Erica Whitsell
When Parker got the hang of latching onto a bottle, things began to look up. She was so hungry suckling down the formula as if she was trying to make up for lost time.
“I was cautiously optimistic that she just needed to catch up on eating.”
Parker opened her eyes to see the worldErica Whitsell
Phoebe, Erica’s resident calico cat, was immediately intrigued when she heard the sound of a new kitten in the house.
While they weren’t ready to have a proper meet-and-greet, Phoebe patiently waited outside the pen and kept an eye on the new kid on the block.
Erica Whitsell
“Once Parker started crawling and becoming more animated, Phoebe would sit outside of her pen and watch her for hours,” Erica shared.
Phoebe was obsessed with her tiny friend and couldn’t wait for Parker to be strong enough to come out and play.
Erica Whitsell
After two weeks in foster care, Parker made steady gains and became even more active with with her newfound strength. She was getting bold and ready to roughhouse with a buddy.
Phoebe was over the moon when she got to hang out with Parker face-to-face for the first time.
Erica Whitsell
“From the very first time they met up close, Phoebe was gentle and caring toward Parker,” Erica told Love Meow.
“Phoebe is helping Parker learn how to be a kitten. When kittens are hand-raised without siblings they have a lot of learning to do, how to play appropriately and read other cats’ body language.”
Phoebe encourages Parker to play and teaches her felines skillsErica Whitsell
Parker has figured out the litter box by following in Phoebe’s paw-steps.
The sweet calico is enamored of the gray kitten and often encourages her to play and venture out of her nest to explore.
Erica Whitsell
Parker has hit many milestones with great care from her foster mom and lots of support from Phoebe.
When the two tire out from all the playing, Phoebe likes to wrap her arms around Parker as they fall fast asleep next to each other.
Erica Whitsell
Phoebe is teaching the youngling boundaries now that she’s getting very feisty. She is incredibly patient with Parker as she shows her how to interact with other cats.
Phoebe is incredibly patient with ParkerErica Whitsell
Parker has come a long way since she was rescued as a lone kitten. She has blossomed into a happy, playful kitty with a rotund belly. She is growing by leaps and bounds with Phoebe by her side.
Erica Whitsell
Share this story with your friends. More on Parker and Phoebe and Erica’s fosters on Instagram @phillykittylady_fosters.
Related story: Cat Comes Home with Kind Person, Within 24 Hours, They Find Kittens Under Their Bed
