Every once in a while, a story comes along that reminds us of the simple joys in life. This is one such tale, revolving around a tiny orange kitten named Kiki. 

Fresh off the streets, Kiki was dirty, covered in fleas, and wary of the world. Little did he know, his life was about to take a heartwarming turn when he crossed paths with Aly, his compassionate foster mom.

The first thing Aly wanted to do was clean up this poor guy. However, Kiki was very scared and showed a bit of his spicy nature at the time.

Kiki was in desperate need of a bath, but his fear made him resistant. So Aly waited until Kiki was tired or sleepy to approach him again and try to touch him, showing him that he was finally safe.

She wanted him to realize he was finally safe and that she was there to help him, hoping he’d eventually cave and let her do her thing.

Finally, Kiki seemed to understand, and she was able to clean and bathe him. Aly was taken aback:

“To my surprise, he did not fight me. He was fine with it.”

She dried him, and his eyes simply shined! Kiki’s gaze widened, and he seemed more interested, relaxed, and playful. It was as if the weight of his past struggles had been washed away along with the dirt. The woman continues to explain in the video:

“Then, I took him to our big room. Kiki met my puppy, Daisy. She had a blast with Kiki, Kiki is fearless with her.”

Even though the dog is five times bigger than Kiki, he did not care! They had so much fun together from the very first moment they met, the two of them hit it off.

The two became like best friends, their bond forming almost instantly. Watching them play together, Aly saw Kiki’s true personality blossom. He was no longer the scared street kitten but a lively, sociable little fellow ready to embrace life.

Kiki showed his true personality, he showed that he’s playful, fun, fearful, and most importantly, that he’s able to make friends with other animals. This was the moment Aly realized that Kiki was ready for more… he was ready for a forever home.

And as special as Kiki is, his family is even more special! Their story truly is unique. As fate would have it, a family uniquely connected to Kiki in ways they hadn’t imagined, was waiting for him.

Niveda, the big sister, explains how Akila, her little sis, would constantly send her videos of Kiki on Instagram, saying how he reminded her of their old cat.

“It was really, really sweet. We all thought it was really funny because, growing up, we used to call Akila, Kiki.”

Can you imagine that? The little girl’s nickname used to be Kiki, and now she’ll be getting a new best friend named Kiki. 

But there’s more – according to the big sis, Kiki actually resembles their father’s old cat, Simba, who sadly crossed the rainbow bridge. It was as if the universe was aligning for Kiki and this family to find each other. She says:

“I think it was definitely meant to be.”

Well, me too!

What this woman did next warmed my heart! 

Akila’s birthday was approaching, and her big sis devised a special surprise. Akila’s birthday and their father’s birthday are one day apart, and Niveda thought of something awesome that would cheer both of them up!

Remember, Akila used to send all those videos to her, right? Well, now she and her daddy are getting a birthday Zoom call from someone very special… Yes, Kiki!

Aly, Kiki’s foster mom, answered the call and began:

“I am here to deliver a tiny surprise. I’ve heard that you’ve been looking for a kitten for a long time, and I happen to foster a kitten. I’ve decided to give you Kiki!”

The look on Akila’s face was priceless. Shock gave way to pure joy as she realized Kiki was hers to keep.

She was in total disbelief, I mean, can you just imagine how happy she was to find that out on her birthday? She admits:

“I got like really shocked, I just love him overall.”

Aly recalls how adorable it was to get him to his forever home that night. He started playing as soon as they got there and they were sure “this was their cat!”

He wasted no time settling in, playing and exploring with the curiosity of a kitten who knew he was finally where he belonged. The bond between Kiki and his new family was immediate and strong. 

Kiki is one happy cat, that’s for sure! If you watch his old videos you wouldn’t believe that it’s the same cat. He’s just so much happier and more playful now. Oh, what a little bit of love can do.

“He is playful and energetic. He’s not as shy and timid anymore.”

Kiki’s new family is so glad to have him in their life and they’re extremely thankful for Aly and how she took such great care of him.

His transformation is amazing, and it’s really great to see how loving and playful Kiki actually is. As Akila says, it’s cool to see that he’s opened up.

In the end, Kiki found his happily ever after, and a family found their perfect new member. As for Akila, her 14th birthday will be one she never forgets. Kiki’s arrival was the perfect gift, and the story of their meeting will warm hearts for years to come.

I know she won’t ever forget her 14th birthday and good luck to her family for trying to top that on her next birthday! 

Through Kiki’s journey, we’re reminded that love and kindness have the power to change lives. Here’s to hoping many more stray animals find their forever homes, just like Kiki did.