Caroline Grace is the founder and executive director of The Baby Kitten Rescue, a non-profit animal rescue organization based in Los Angeles, California.
She has saved the lives of countless cats and kittens and documented their stories on Instagram — but two cats in particular are going viral again years after their journey began.
The two cats in question, Oliver and Bunny, were the only two kittens in their litter. And from the moment they arrived under her roof, Grace knew that they required extra love and care.
“Bunny and Otter arrived as tiny, sick, and orphaned 3-week-olds,” Grace wrote in an Instagram post. “We nursed them back to health and helped them adapt with their disabilities.”
Both had been born with missing limbs, with Bunny missing most of her front arms from congenital bilateral hemimelia.
In addition to Otter’s own limb differences in his front paws, he had meningoencephalocele, which meant that part of his brain protruded through an opening in his skull.
At first, Otter was too young for the brain surgery required to reduce his meningoencephalocele. To keep him safe from injury and potential infection, Otter was fitted with a tiny, custom-made helmet with see-through casing.
At the six-month mark, Otter was finally greenlit for surgery. Where he once had a missing piece of skull, he was soon protected with titanium mesh.
After a month and a half, Baby Kitten Rescue and the Metropolitan Animal Specialty Hospital shared a health update on Otter: His “mohawk-like” scar had healed and he no longer needed his special helmet.
“His surgery was a success, and he made a full recovery!” Grace posted to Instagram. “He no longer has to wear a helmet and can live the rest of his life without having to worry about injury or infection to his brain.”
This also meant that Oliver and Bunny — who adapted happily and acrobatically to her limb differences, bouncing around like her namesake — were ready for their next chapter.
And a new mom.
“Bunny and Otter were pre-adopted by my friend, Megan!”Grace exclaimed in an Instagram post in 2023.
Although Grace said she couldn’t be happier, the decision didn’t come easily.
“The plan was always to find them their forever home together once they were ready. But I’ve become so bonded to them, I seriously considered keeping them,” she wrote.
“But I had to ask myself whether or not my home was the best home for them. And the honest answer is no. Bunny and Otter need a more quiet home without a constant revolving door of foster kittens.”
She emphasized that rescue work is “for the animals.”
“It’s about doing the right thing for them,” she said. “And the right thing for Bunny and Otter is a more quiet home [and] the first time they met Megan, they had an instant and palpable connection.”
Today, the two siblings are still happily living in their “forever home,” according to updates on Megan’s social media account.
“Two cats, five and a half legs, three claws, two crooked tails, one titanium skull,” the profile states. “Dynamic duo living our best lives!”
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Featured Image via Baby Kitten Rescue/Instagram
