She had been helping kittens out for several years, and experience alone had taught her that some kitties made it while others didn’t. And as she studied these three balls of fur, she feared that this would be one of those iffy situations. But she wasn’t about to let this happen without a fight. She knew that what she had to offer didn’t guarantee anything, but it certainly couldn’t hurt, and it turns out that she was correct.
Megan Sorbara has dedicated herself to rescuing kittens. Not only is she the President of Naples Cat Alliance in Naples, Florida, but she spends hours ensuring that the shelter continues to thrive. She doesn’t get paid for her efforts, but the love she gets from the cats is rewarding enough. However, some cats require more TLC than others, but it’s worth it, just like it was with these adorable kitties.
Megan was enjoying her time away from work, but she’s always on call, so while she was getting some ice cream, her colleagues at the Cat Alliance called her. They told her that a concerned resident had told them about a litter of kittens that were in need of some help. Megan wasn’t surprised when she learned that the kittens were in a building on Bayshore Drive, where feral cats often resided. So, she took off immediately.
When Megan arrived, she scoured the area until she eventually saw a bunch of fur by the side of a building. The kittens were so tiny that she almost didn’t see them. Unfortunately, their mother was not around, so Megan decided to carefully approach them. At first, there seemed to be two kittens huddled together. She estimated that they were two weeks old. But as she took a closer look, she realized that there was something wrong.
Megan wasn’t sure what the two kittens were wrapped around at first. But once she got close enough, she realized that there was a third kitten in between the two kittens and it wasn’t gray like the others. It was white. The gray kittens appeared to be safeguarding their sibling, which Megan found odd. In her experience, kittens are more interested in finding their mother. But it didn’t take long to figure out the reason behind their behavior towards the white kitten.
Megan picked the kittens up, placed them in a crate, and took them to the shelter right away. Once she had a chance to examine them, she realized there was something off about the white kitten. It was a female and she had a tough time standing. Every time she tried, her head tilted to the left. That’s when Megan realized why her gray brothers were so protective of her. Megan knew she would need to provide her with experienced veterinary assistance.
Megan named the white kitten Coconut because of the ice cream flavor she had tasted that day. She also named Coconut’s brothers Praline and Pistachio. She took the trio to a veterinary clinic to give them a complete check-up. The vet deduced that Coconut might have suffered neurological damage caused by an injury or possibly due to genetics. But it was difficult to know for sure. Still, Megan wanted to give the kitten a chance.
After Megan returned the kittens to the shelter, she brainstormed how to help Coconut. She realized that finding her mother would be the best option, but her team didn’t have much luck with that. They’d visited the site a bunch of times. They even brought the kittens there to lure the mother back, but it seemed that the mother didn’t want to risk getting caught. Fortunately, the kittens had someone at the shelter who was willing to take over.
Megan’s dog, Bitsy, loves kittens more than she loves dogs. In fact, she loves to join Megan on her rescue missions. She’ll even sit in the car and welcome every new cat she brings in. So, Megan was more than confident that Bitsy would treat Coconut, Praline, and Pistachio like family. In fact, in less than no time, she was willing and able to be a foster mom for these wayward kittens. The only thing Megan had to do was wait and see if the kittens would accept Bitsy.
Megan grabbed Coconut and placed her on the bed next to Bitsy. No one moved at first, but then Coconut started to wobble her way towards Bitsy. When Bitsy realized Coconut was making a friendly gesture, she rolled over right away. Megan was surprised and watched in awe as the kitten curled around Bitsy’s neck with such affection. It seemed the bond between these two had formed almost instantly.
Coconut spent a lot of time bonding with her doggy foster mom. Since Bitsy made her feel safe, she started to move more and more. “It’s really good for Coconut,” shared Megan. “It helps her stretch and move and climb and things like that, which are good for her muscles.” But Bitsy wasn’t just giving her love to Coconut.
Praline and Pistachio were very protective of their sister, but they learned right away that Bitsy was awesome, and they decided to bond with her too. “And Bitsy just loves them. She just absolutely loves them,” said Megan. It wasn’t long before they all saw a miracle happen right in front of them.
Coconut continues to improve every day with the help of Bitsy’s nurturing. “She is getting stronger and is able to hold her head up straighter than even yesterday,” shared Megan. “She has a very healthy appetite and manages to roll to where she wants to go.” But all this wouldn’t have been possible without Bitsy, who has a pretty incredible story to tell too.
Bitsy was once a rescue just like the kittens that she fostered. Two years earlier, she had been wandering by a six-lane intersection when she was found. Fortunately, she wasn’t harmed. But that brush with danger and the fact that she was rescued by Megan probably motivated her to help other animals who needed love and attention. Now, Bitsy’s practically famous.
Naples Cat Alliance decided to share what happened to Coconut and her brothers on their Facebook page, and the story went viral. The three kittens became so popular, that Megan was contacted by a Japanese TV station who wanted to stop by the shelter and visit the kitties. Naturally, Megan took advantage of this opportunity. She stated: “It brings awareness to our organization, and who doesn’t need that.”