A lot can happen in two months! Just ask Hank, the tiny kitten dumped a pet supply store in a tissue box. After Hank was handed over to staff, Animal Control was called for help. The kitten was filthy, covered in dirt and fleas. Hank was only four-days-old and weighed just 80 grams. Her chances of survival weren’t all that great but if anyone could help her, it would be Hannah Shaw, better known online as the Kitten Lady.

Orphaned newborn kittens (aged eight weeks and under) are a vulnerable population. They cannot generate their own body heat, they cannot go to the bathroom on their own, they cannot groom themselves, and require specialized knowledge and overnight care that most shelters are not equipped to handle. Unless a foster parent who is experienced in handling newborns steps in, most orphan newborn kittens are euthanized before close of business the day they are brought in to shelters. Despite Hank’s poor odds, Hannah was still determined to try to help.

Hannah first removed all of the fleas by giving Hank a gentle, warm bath. Hank was also quickly wrapped up in a soft blanket and placed on a heat disk to keep her warm.

Baby Hank was syringe-fed because of how tiny she was. Over the next few weeks, she put on weight, her eye infection cleared, and at three weeks old, Hank took her first little steps.

At this point, Hank was wildly popular on Hannah’s “Kitten Lady” social media pages. So when baby Hank tested positive for panleukopenia, an often deadly virus, Hank’s fans were upset. But Hannah didn’t give up.

Hannah provided round the clock care and thankfully, the treatment worked. Hank beat the odds! “She survived one of the worst viruses a kitten can have. I am beyond proud of this little fighter,” Hannah said on her Instagram page.

Next up for Hank: a forever home! Hank and Kodi, another baby kitten foster of Hannah’s, immediately became BFFs and it was clear that the two needed a home together.

The applications came pouring in for the two munchkins and Hank and Kodi just recently moved into their new home!

Hank and Kodi will now lead healthy, happy lives together, all thanks to Hannah’s dedication and compassion!

As the saying goes, fostering saves lives! If you’d like to stay up to date on Hank and Kodi in their new home, you can follow their adventures on Instagram.

Interested in becoming a foster parent? Shelters need foster families when an animal cannot be adopted immediately because they are too young, have medical or behavioral issues, or the shelter is simply overcrowded. Regardless if you open up your home to a dog, cat, bird, small pets, pig, any pet, you can feel wonderful knowing you have saved a life and cared for a pet who will soon find his or her forever home.

Even if you cannot foster or adopt, you can still help kittens. Participate in your local trap-neuter-release program to ensure that no unwanted kittens are born or use your social media accounts to raise awareness about the importance of adoption and spaying or neutering your pets.

And don’t forget to share Hank’s success story within your network to brighten someone’s day!

For more amazing rescue stories, follow Hannah on Instagram, here.

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