Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/foster-kittens-help-covid-19/

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Arwin and Kodiak: Love in the Time of Covid

We’ve heard so many clichés about love. “Love comes when you least expect it.” “The love you give will return to you tenfold.” “Love will keep us together.”

Makes you roll your eyes, right? To orphaned kittens Arwin and Kodiak and their foster family, however, these tired old phrases ring true. When Arwin and Kodiak came to Anderson Humane Society (AHS) in mid-July, they were too young to fend for themselves. To survive, these tiny balls of fur needed caregivers who were willing to bottle feed them every two to four hours, round the clock – an exhaustive schedule by any measure. And yet, one of AHS’ foster families said, “Yes, we will do that.”

Four weeks later, after lots of love and attention, the kittens had grown and were strong enough to eat on their own. Now they were ready to return to AHS to find their “forever family.” And then the unexpected happened. A member of the foster family was diagnosed with Covid-19. While the family quarantined for four weeks (and ultimately fully recovered), Arwin and Kodiak had to stay in the foster home.

Quarantining is not easy; the sense of uncertainty and isolation can be overwhelming. But, just as the foster family had helped the orphaned kittens survive and thrive, the kittens returned the favor by helping the family cope with its own crisis. Arwin and Kodiak entertained the family with their antics, pouncing and sneaking up on each other, chasing toys and sunbeams, and lovingly grooming each other; they curled up on laps, calmed fears, and purred their contentment.

In fact, the family spent so much time with the kittens during the quarantine that they couldn’t imagine life without them. So, they adopted them both.

We all love happy endings, and so we share one more cliché: Visit your local animal shelter – you might discover that adopting a cat or dog is “just what the doctor ordered,” especially in the midst of this pandemic. That’s exactly what happened for 22 cats/kittens and five dogs when AHS participated in this year’s Clear the Shelter Campaign! Local businesses Liberty Cash and Cash-A-Check helped cover the adoption fees during this campaign, making this a “win-win” for all!

Story submitted by Anderson Humane Society.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog