Two kittens show remarkable strength and rely on each other deeply as they navigate the world together.
Cider and AcornAlyssaDeHart
From the day Alyssa DeHart saw Acorn (brown tabby) and Cider (gray tabby), she knew there was something extraordinary about them.
The kittens came into a local shelter with severely infected eyes. "Our county shelter didn't have the resources to care for their medical needs, so they sent out an urgent plea... The second I saw their intake photos, I knew I had to help them," Alyssa shared with Love Meow.
With the support of her rescue, Liberation Cat House, Alyssa went to pick up the pair that same day. Upon meeting them, she was stunned by the severity of their damaged eyes. Despite the odds, Alyssa would spare no effort to try to save their eyes.
AlyssaDeHart
"They clearly had a very rough start to life, but I was ready to make it better. The first week was a whirlwind with 3-4 different types of eye drops being administered just every few hours."
Even a week into their treatment, the vet warned Alyssa that Acorn might need an enucleation (eye removal surgery) the following Monday. It was as if the kittens overheard their prognosis and decided to prove them wrong.
CiderAlyssaDeHart
Through painstaking care, good food, and plenty of TLC, their eyes started to heal, and their energy levels rose.
"To our surprise, Acorn's eyes greatly improved over that weekend. That was the moment I realized these girls may be blind, but they'll keep their eyes."
Cider and AcornAlyssaDeHart
From the day the tabbies came into care, they were extremely bonded, leaning on one another for comfort and support.
After two weeks, Cider purred for her foster mom for the first time. With increased confidence, the bonded sisters began playing and exploring more together, but they spent most of their time cuddling.
They spend most of their time cuddlingAlyssaDeHart
As they recovered, they regained limited vision, and their eyes appeared galactic and captivating.
"Acorn has some 'tunnel vision' in her right eye. Cider practically has full vision in her left eye. Even in their 'blind' eyes, they can still perceive light."
Acorn and CiderAlyssaDeHart
"As they navigated new spaces and new people, they continued to rely on each other. They are always cuddled up together, and that's been the case from day one."
Cider is full of energy and constantly finding new ways for antics. She adores her humans and will head bump them for attention. She purrs so loudly sometimes, leaving her mouth agape.
CiderAlyssaDeHart
Acorn, on the other hand, is more reserved but very sweet. She will roll over on her back, demanding pets and belly rubs.
They are both playful and boisterous kittens who let nothing slow them down. "They are fierce little hunters when it comes to their feather wand toys."
AcornAlyssaDeHart
"Sometimes it's hard to believe they are even blind. They do everything like normal kittens--they romp and play and climb cat towers all the same."
At three months old, the two sisters are ready to look for their forever home together.
Acorn and CiderAlyssaDeHart
"It is so heartwarming to see them happy, warm, and comfortable after such a scary start to life," Alyssa added.
"Acorn and Cider both have the same genetic eye malformation. So they really are linked together for life."
Best of friendsAlyssaDeHart
Share this story with your friends. More on Acorn and Cider (in Orlando) and Alyssa's fosters on Instagram. More on Liberation Cat House on Instagram.
Related story: Six Kittens Convince Shelter Volunteer to Take Them Home so They Can Have What They Wanted Together
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