It was an eventful day when a Hawaii resident walked into his backyard and noticed his cat was not alone…
Upon taking a closer look, he realized his cat had brought home a newborn kitten!
Knowing the kitten desperately needed help to survive, the man sprung into action.
Keep reading to learn how this orphan kitten was given a second chance at life!
Seeking Help
The man was shocked to find a newborn kitten with his cat.
The kitten was so young that its umbilical cord was still attached.
The man immediately took the kitten inside where it would be safe and warm.
Knowing this kitten would need an experienced rescuer to survive, he called Shaynne Franklin Gray.
Shaynne was the right woman for the job.
She selflessly volunteered to raise the kitten and the two made plans to meet as soon as they possibly could.
Rushing to the Rescue
Shaynne sprung into action and drove to the other side of the island.
“We got the baby. She definitely needed food and fluids,” Shaynne said. “I wasn’t sure she was going to make she at first, she was all of 52 ounces in my hands.”
She immediately gave the kitten a bottle and subcutaneous fluids.
Shaynne and her friend worked as hard as they could to stabilize the kitten.
Shaynne got to work and started round the clock bottle feedings.
She was determined to keep this baby alive!
For the week, Shaynne wasn’t sure if the kitten was a boy or a girl.
It’s a Girl!
This all changed when the kitten need to visit the vet for some bowel movement problems.
The vet confirmed that the kitten was a girl!
Shaynne had been informally calling the kitten precious nugget.
When she discovered the kitten was a girl, she gave her a proper name.
Shaynne named her Alãmea, which means precious in Hawaiin.
Failed Foster
With Shaynne’s help, Alãmea grew stronger and healthier every day.
Soon, her eyes opened and she could wobble around in her playpen.
She was thriving and her personality started to shine through little by little!
A few more weeks passed and it was time for Shaynne to consider Alãmea’s future.
However, the thought of Alãmea leaving broke Shaynne’s heart.
“After about 10 days, I said ‘nope. I’m keeping her’,” Shaynne shared. “She’s my baby!”
Shaynne had moved from California to Hawaii with two elderly cats.
Earlier that year, her cats passed away at ages 20 and 18.
While no cat could take their places, Alãmea’s arrival was a blessing to Shaynne’s family.
Full of Gratitude
Shaynne owes her involvement in cat rescue and fostering in Hawaii to a Facebook group called Catopia Hawaii.
The group has given her the knowledge, support, and connections to make a difference in her community.
She believes things would not have gone as well with Alãmea had she not been involved with the group.
“Hawaii has a really hard time with the cat population, which is why I got involved with Catopia Hawaii,” She shared. “They gave me the knowledge to take care of this little pumpkin head.”
Happily Ever After
Alãmea has settled in comfortably with her new forever family. She continues to grow stronger and healthier with each passing day.
“I just love her so much,” Shaynne shared. “She’s such an angel. We have a special bond!”
Now that Alãmea is mobile, she runs into the arms of her rescuer to snuggle and play.
“She wants to be in your lap and she purrs non-stop,” Shaynne said.
Shaynne is so happy Alãmea stumbled into her life.
Alãmea knows she will always feel safe and loved with her new mom!
Shaynne’s Mission
If you’d like to help Shaynne rescue and foster more kittens in Hawaii, please donate an item to her from her Amazon Wishlist.
Some of these supplies are hard to come across in Hawaii. Because of this, Shaynne shares donations with local rescuers and volunteers.
She knows that sharing supplies is the first and most important step in recruiting new fosters and volunteers to save kittens that would otherwise suffer.
Help Shaynne make a difference in Hawaii, one kitten at a time!
