Maurizio was in pretty poor condition when he came to Newborn Kitten Rescue. But thanks to their love and care, Maurizio has made an incredible transformation.
Maurizio was found in need of immediate medical attention as an abandoned stray at just 10-weeks-old. Poor Maurizio had an eye infection and was very underweight.
The kitten was placed into care with his foster mom Angelica Johnson who focused on getting his weight up. Johnson said she felt an instant connection to Maurizio when she met him.
Staying alive
She remembers being in tears while feeding the frail kitten one night telling him that she needed him to survive. Johnson had to feed the kitty every four hours.
He also had to have an IV administered daily to keep him properly hydrated.
Eventually, Maurizio started to improve. Johnson said she couldn’t have been more grateful that Maurizio was growing strong.
“Now, he is doing amazing!” Johnson told The Dodo. “He’s an absolute social lovebug and now shares his days with a friend, Milana. He loves all people and cats he encounters. He also spends his days zooming around.”
Johnson couldn’t be happier to see how much of a transformation Maurizio has undergone.
“Proud is the best way to express how I feel about his glow-up!” Johnson said. “I know it took some work on my end to get him to that point, but I like to think he put in the rest by being a fighter.”
But it wasn’t a totally smooth recovery. It had its challenges.
“He had a mild eye infection and was severely underweight for his age. Keeping him on track with weight gain was the most crucial part of his care,” Johnson said. “It took a little diet trial and error to find a kitten food that he would consistently eat. He remained on a strict feeding schedule, eating every four hours day and night, and received subcutaneous fluids daily to keep him hydrated.”
Johnson created a video for Instagram to show how much of a dramatic transformation Maurizio underwent. It ended up going viral and was liked more than 266,800 times.
The glow-up
“Thank you for giving this precious baby the love and care he desperately needed! He is so adorable!” one commenter wrote.
“Ah. My heart broke at first but before I could cry the new and healthier bebe fuzzy showed up! Yay smol sweetie! Your hooman is kind and loving and you’re such a brave little fighter. I love you so much angel!” said another.
Maurizio will spend a little more time in foster care before he is adopted into a forever home.