Pepper

Adopted

AdoptedFostered

Pepper was found alone at just a few days old. A foster family became her round-the-clock lifeline.

Their journey

Pepper was found alone in a parking lot, days old and unable to regulate her own body temperature. Neonatal kittens require intensive foster care that shelters typically cannot provide.

Her foster family bottle-fed her every two to three hours around the clock for several weeks, tracking her weight gain daily.

Once weaned and socialized, Pepper grew into a playful, confident kitten who was quickly adopted by a family with young children who fell in love with her at a PALS adoption event.

Before, during, and after

1
Arrival
Found alone as a days-old neonatal kitten.
2
Foster Home
Round-the-clock bottle feeding and warmth.
3
Recovery
Weaned, socialized, and grew into a playful kitten.
4
Adopted
Adopted at a PALS community adoption event.

Two a.m. feedings are exhausting. Watching her open her eyes for the first time made every one worth it.

PALS Foster Family, Carroll County

What made the difference

Bottle-baby fosters are some of the most time-intensive placements PALS coordinates — and some of the most life-saving, since neonatal kittens cannot survive shelter intake alone.