One day, a litter of five newborn kittens was found all alone outside, with their mom nowhere to be found. Penny Richards, a foster volunteer at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Virginia, didn’t hesitate to take them in and save their innocent lives.
The poor kittens were only two days old and still had their umbilical cords attached. It’s a miracle they even survived.
Penny knew that every second was crucial for their well-being. She immediately set them up in a cozy nest with heated blankets and started feeding them around the clock.
However, a new challenge arose when the kittens began suckling on each other. Unfortunately, this behavior can be dangerous and harmful to them.
This behavior is common in orphaned kittens due to the suckling reflex, which is natural in kittens.
According to Maddie’s Fund, this behavior needs to be taken seriously due to potential harm. “Damaged tissue on a kitten being suckled on can be life-threatening; the genital area can get traumatized to the degree that a kitten is unable to pee.”
Thankfully, Penny found a solution. She outfitted the kittens in tiny protective onesies to prevent this behavior until they outgrew it.
Among the five kittens, one stood out from a young age. Piccadilly, or Dilly, was the smallest kitten and needed extra encouragement to eat. Penny shared:
“I always started the feeds with her because she was the noisiest and then went back and offered her more when everyone else was done.”
Dilly was a special kitten. She was the last to open her eyes and progressed more slowly, requiring more attention. Penny described her:
“She loves people. When she was tiny and developed her sight, she would just sit and watch everyone around her. She was noisy when awake, but when asleep, she was always in such funny positions. She could be found snuggling with her lamb (cuddle toy) more often than not, even on top of it.”
Despite her small size, Dilly had a big personality and wasn’t shy about expressing herself. She was never afraid to voice her opinions.
As the kittens grew bigger and stronger, Dilly’s sassy attitude became even more evident. She was highly playful and energetic, always the first in line to play with fuzzy ball toys.
However, what Dilly loved the most was snuggling in someone’s warm lap and never letting go. Penny said:
“She was very cuddly, and always climbed onto my lap for snuggles while purring away.”
Every day, Dilly would sit in her foster mom’s warm lap and watch her with her big doe eyes.
When all the kittens grew up, Dilly remained the smallest of the litter but behaved like any other kitten.
She was playful, sneaky, and full of energy. But, after losing her excess energy, she would make herself comfortable in the nearest warm lap for a recharge.
“Piccadilly has been a joy to have around! From day one, she has the biggest personality crammed into the tiniest body.”
Penny added:
“When her eyes opened, and her sight came in, she would just sit and stare at me, watching everything I was doing and taking it all in.”
“She has been bold and loud and so entertaining, but little Dilly has the sweetest side to her. She always came for cuddles on my lap and loved to sleep up against me. She never stopped purring, and as soon as I called her name, she came running over.”
When the kittens grew big enough, they found their forever homes, including Dilly, who found the loving family she had always wanted.
Dilly will never be bored because now she has a bigger feline sister, Ronan, who has taken her under her wing.
The two sisters get along exceptionally well, as if they had grown up together. Dilly always follows Ronan and tries to imitate everything she does.
Shira, Dilly’s new human mom, couldn’t hide her excitement:
“Dilly is getting so big. She’s five months old and 5.3 pounds. She spends a lot of her day running around, bugging her sister, and watching the humidifier. She loves climbing on the headboard, snuggling with me under the covers… She makes me laugh constantly with her silly antics.”
Dilly is undoubtedly a special kitty, proving that even the tiniest ones can have a big personality and a huge heart.
