In this world of instant gratification and rampant selfishness, it’s crucial for parents to find ways to teach their children the most valuable lessons in life and help them build character.
That takes many different forms, but for the family of 10-year-old Zach, that looked like allowing him to foster two cats and work with them so that they would become social, well-behaved pets: Pouring love, time, and care into animals he would eventually have to part with.
Last year, momma cat Tinker came to Kittens in the Mitten, a Michigan-based nonprofit that works to rehome cats in need. Tinker and her four kittens were cared for, and according to Touch of Cats, a Facebook page for a foster who works closely with Kittens in the Mitten, three of Tinker’s babies were adopted — but no one showed interest in her and her last male kitten.
That was, until Zach and his family agreed to foster the pair. For five months he kept Tinker and the baby, named Wendell, in his room and cared for them, knowing that he was helping prepare them for a new life with someone else.
Those five months ended with Tinker and Wendell snagging a cage at PetSmart, where they would be much more visible to potential adopters and perhaps be able to catch someone’s eye.
Letting them go was difficult for Zach, as it would be for anyone who closely cared for and loved on an animal for five months. As the days went by and the mother and son felines got used to their new digs at PetSmart, Zach’s own mother began questioning their decision to move the cats on.
“Ten year old Zach had been fostering Tinker and Wendell in his bedroom for five months,” Touch of Cats shared on their Facebook page in February. “Despite going to three adoption events, neither kitty was adopted and the bond between Zach and his foster kitties grew strong over that time.
“To help get Tinker and Wendell more exposure, they were set up at PetSmart. Leaving them behind at the store left Zach with a broken heart. Wendell and Tinker sat confused, as they watched their boy walk away.
“During their ten days apart, Zach’s mom was distraught for her broken-hearted son. She started wondering if anyone could love Tinker and Wendell they way her son did.
“She knew Wendell and Tinker were happy in her home. She felt she made a mistake taking those cats to PetSmart. But she just started a new job and couldn’t afford an adoption fee right now.”
So the Touch of Cats foster and Kittens in The Mitten decided to reach out to the public to try to work a miracle.
“Alright, Ya’all,” Touch of Cats posted on Feb. 9. “I gotta work some magic. There’s a sad 10 year old boy, who with all his heart wants to adopt a certain mom cat with her kitten. He needs to raise the adoption fee of $150 to adopt ‘his babies.’
“I’m going to help him! So who wants to help make this boy’s dream come true and get these two loved kitties into his arms? It’s a bit of a secret, he doesn’t know this is happening, so I’m not disclosing who he is or the cats until WE can get this money for him.
“**Parents own their home and have vet reference. They keep animals for life and take excellent care of them.”
Total strangers, moved by the boy’s compassion and the cats’ plight, put money towards the cause. On Feb. 11, Touch of Cats shared the results.
“Witness the most heart-touching adoption!” the post read. “(Get your tissues ready and turn up the volume!)
“Zach thinks he is saying goodbye to his foster kitties because they’ve been adopted. Wait until he finds out who their adopter is!”
Zach has certainly learned a lot from this experience thanks to the kindness of strangers.
This article appeared originally on Liftable.
