A pair of tiny twin kittens who were rescued help each other to thrive in life
A pair of tiny twin kittens came to their foster home hoping for a new chance and a better quality of life. Despite their limitations and the problems they apparently suffered from, they both shared a very special bond that united them and gave them enough strength.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington animal rescue center in Virginia had rescued a litter of orphaned cats in need of foster care. Among the litter were the two brothers, who were in poor health, requiring additional attention and care 24 hours a day.
Twin kittens thrive on helping each other
Lauren Strycula, a volunteer with the organization’s Kitten College program, heard about the case and offered to help.
She and a fellow volunteer worked as a team to ensure that every kitten in the litter had a fighting chance at a normal life. But the volunteer was especially in charge of the recovery of the two brothers; she was determined that these two felines had to get by.
«I picked up Jace and Jax when they were eight days old. Saving kittens really is hard, and it’s only possible when everyone collaborates and helps each other.»
The first week with the little ones was full of ups and downs, sometimes they were fine and other times they got complicated, but they kept fighting for their lives. They struggled to feed themselves and drink from the bottle, they also had health problems that prevented them from resting enough to recharge their batteries and continue their fight.
Despite all that, it seemed that the brothers all the time clung to each other for comfort and strength to prosper.
“We immediately started giving medication to both kittens and happily it was only a few days before things started to improve. I could see a noticeable difference in their moods, and the boys finally started to put on significant weight.»
Little Jace who was the weaker of the two, recovered like a champ and soon successfully latched on to his bottle and drank like there was no tomorrow. His energy immediately shifted to his brother Jax as he became highly motivated to feed and began to eat more than usual.
It was remarkable that the kittens’ recovery was well under way, and that their will to live outweighed any problems they might have.
Lauren said:
«I could have cried seeing the first twitches of Jace’s ear.»
Pair of twin kittens
The inseparable sibling duo began to gain weight and gain a lot of strength, allowing their unique personalities to shine through.
Lauren said:
“We affectionately call Jace our little weirdo because he has the goofiest personality. We always laugh at his silly sleeping positions and his wacky antics.»
While Jace is the most mischievous and constantly demands affection, Jax is characterized by being the most tender and has a very sweet temperament. Although they have very different personalities, the two brothers complement each other perfectly, as if they were Yin and Yang.
Physically they are very similar, but there are certain characteristics that distinguish them.
Lauren said:
“You can tell Jax from his twin brother because he has a perfect triangle like a glow and white left ear. Jace’s glow is a bit lopsided (like his hat) and his right ear is white.»
The brothers began to nurse each other to feel comfortable, a habit that is very common in orphaned kittens, but is harmful to both. So it was necessary to nip the problem in the bud and find a solution to this behavior as quickly as possible, to avoid problems in the future.
As she kept an eye on the little ones, Lauren aptly got help from a stuffed animal they named Snuggle Lamb, and she placed it between them. It was the best solution, because in this way it was not necessary to separate them, since they could continue doing their things together without hurting each other.
Now four weeks old, Jace and Jax are kicking that bad habit as they move on to their next stage in life. Jace, the most rambunctious and mischievous boy, keeps his brother very busy and tired, he always wants to play and does not take no for an answer.
