Roku the kitten had all the odds stacked up against him when he was found outside without a mom. A TNR (trap-neuter-return) rescuer discovered him with his siblings, but he was the only one that survived.
Shelby Thorpe, the founder of Shelby’s Kitten SafeHouse (in Oregon), learned about his plight and swooped in to take him. “When I got him, he was just skin and bones and had eye infections and fleas,” Shelby shared with Love Meow.
“He was only slightly larger than the Roku remote which is how he got his name.”
The little tabby was estimated to be four weeks old (based on his teeth and development) but only about the size of a 2-week-old kitten. Despite being so tiny, he showed an incredible amount of fight in him.
“I knew he would be okay when I saw his voracious appetite. He meowed loudly for the first couple of days, and the only thing that settled him down was if I sat with him or carried him around with me,” Shelby shared with Love Meow.
Roku insisted on being near his foster mom all the time and would scream and cry if she wasn’t around. After a rough start, the little guy with the big voice demanded a constant companion, and Shelby happily obliged.
The sweet kitten would nuzzle up to his human every time he was ready for a nap. Shelby set up a cozy cave bed with plenty of blankets for him to knead on. The clingy kitty quickly discovered the power of climbing, and would make his way to the top of the bed, vying for Shelby’s attention.
In just one week, Roku transformed into a new kitten. His eyes cleared up, and he was a lot more relaxed. He enjoyed having an entourage of plush toys in his crib and all the soft things at his disposal. But nothing made him happier than having a warm lap to sit on.
Knowing how much he could benefit from having another kitten to play with, Shelby introduced him to a few other fosters when he was healthy and ready to mingle.
“He has turned into an extremely affectionate little guy who throws his whole body into your hand when you pet him to the point that he basically falls over,” Shelby told Love Meow.
“His favorite things to do are rub his face against people and get back scratches and also to play with his new kitten siblings.”
Roku the people-cat will come running if he spots an empty lap in the room. He may be the smallest kitten in the house, but has so much to give.
The little love-bug continues to fill the room with his adorable rumbling purrs. He has a way of enamoring anyone he comes across with his sweetest gaze.
Who could possibly say no to that face?
The palm-sized wonder has flourished into a gorgeous tabby, and is almost ready for his exciting next chapter — his forever loving home.
