Despite dealing with a cancer diagnosis, Nikki Martinez and her husband didn’t hesitate to save the life of an abandoned newborn kitten.
A Good Samaritan in Las Vegas found the little kitty in her front yard. Her sibling was found in the same area, but that kitten didn’t make it.
The mother was nowhere in sight and couldn’t be located, so the kitten was taken in by TNR rescuers Martinez and her husband, who goes by Foster Papi.
The best chance
Martinez and her husband have been rescuing and fostering cats and kittens for over a decade. The couple was dealing with Martinez’s husband’s cancer diagnosis at the time.
Still, they wanted to make sure this kitten got the best chance shot at surviving. The kitten was extremely small and sickly looking.
The kitten was named Rocky and was placed in an incubator for her first night. Rocky needed to be bottle frequently around the clock.
Thanks to the dedication of Martinez and Foster Papi, Rocky made it through the night. Not only was she fed and kept warm, but she was also being loved.
Rocky steadily grew larger and, at 24-days-old, was moved to a mini playpen where she could move around and get exercise. She learned about toys and loved playing. She even warmed up to dogs.
“She was tiny and frail and we didn’t know what her future held, but we were determined to give her a fighting chance,” Martinez told Love Meow.
She became very vocal when she was hungry and treated like a little princess. When Foster Papi had his life-saving surgery, Rocky kept her foster mom company.
Foster Papi was so excited to come home and see Rocky. He couldn’t wait to get back to foster dad duties and bottle feeding his baby kitten.
By the time Rocky was 5-weeks-old, she had developed her own sassy personality. She loves playing with her Foster Papi.
The two helped each other heal. Rocky loved Foster Papi so much that she took her sweet time learning to eat on her own. She loved when he took the time to bottle feed her.
A gift
“She is very different than any bottle baby I’ve ever had. She is extremely independent,” Martinez said. “She was the lone survivor of her litter. She is precious and has truly been a gift to my husband and I as we navigated through his cancer diagnosis and treatment.”
Martinez and Foster Papi made sure to find Rocky the perfect forever home where she would be properly loved and cared for.
“TNR and fostering is our passion. Having the ability to care for kitties in need has been our joy for the past 10 years. For every day we have health and strength, we will continue this work,” Martinez said.
Learn more about Martinez’s work on Facebook and Instagram.