We arrived at the sanctuary in early February this year after spending our lives living outdoors since birth. Our finders had noticed us coming in and out of their garden last year. As we were not domesticated kittens, they kindly began building trust with us by feeding us regularly.

We were placed on the sanctuary waiting list, and by the time space became available, our finders had made good progress. We had started venturing closer and would even attempt to enter their kitchen from the back garden. Although we were still very nervous and wouldn’t allow any handling, we had grown more confident being near people and taking food from them. Eventually, they were able to safely trap us and bring us to the sanctuary, giving us the chance for a safer and happier life away from the streets.

After arriving, we settled in and completed all of our important veterinary work. Thankfully, despite being young females, we were not pregnant. Once our vet work was finished, we moved out of isolation and into the kitten unit. We were given time to decompress after all the stressful vet visits (which we didn’t enjoy!), though our carers helped make things easier by using gabapentin to help us relax.

We share our own pen together, complete with cosy igloo beds, a cat tree, and lots of toys. We tend to stay hidden during the day, so our carers don’t often see our playful side but overnight we come out to play, which is clear from all the toys being moved around by morning!

We can both still be a little hissy as we’re easily scared, but we are slowly becoming braver around people. Our carer has created a socialisation plan for staff and volunteers, which involves sitting quietly with us and speaking gently so we can get used to human voices and presence. Treats are definitely the way to our hearts as we can’t resist them! While we may hiss when someone gets too close, we’ll still peek out for lick-e-lix treats and will happily take food from hands. I (Chai)-will even accept a gentle head tickle while doing so. Although I can be a bit hissier than my sister Bubble, I’m slightly more open to touch at this stage.

Our main carer sees so much potential in us and truly believes that we can thrive in a home environment with patient, understanding humans who are willing to welcome us into their lives. With time, love, and consistency, we will continue to grow in confidence and you will find it so rewarding to see us blossom!