Anyone who knows Rose Hunter from Lincoln, Nebraska, is familiar with her love for houseplants.
She often frequents Campbell’s Nursery in her area, which is no surprise, but during one of her impromptu visits, an unexpected event occurred that left everyone astonished.
Instead of returning home with merely a new plant, she brought back a small, living creature as well.
An Unexpected Discovery
While walking back from her trip to Campbell’s Nursery located at 56th and Pine Lake in Lincoln, Hunter spotted something unusual in the parking lot.
At first, she assumed it was merely an oil stain on the pavement, but as she approached, she discovered it was something entirely different.
From a distance, it appeared to be a small, round, and furry bundle on the ground, leaving her puzzled about its identity.
“I initially felt disheartened, thinking it was a baby rabbit that had passed away,” Hunter shared in her Facebook post.
Drawn by her curiosity, she edged closer, only to realize that it was neither a baby rabbit nor a squirrel, but whatever it was, it was unmistakably alive.
“OMG, IT’S A BABY KITTEN!!! And it’s ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe it, and I have no idea what to do right now,” Hunter exclaimed.
The kitten was extremely small, likely around 5 days old.
“I felt a rush of excitement. My heart raced as I realized that I needed to act — but how?” Hunter recounted to The Dodo.
She promptly decided to scoop up the tiny kitten and secure him in her vehicle for safety.
While Hunter was ready to take this kitten in as her own, she understood it was far too young to be separated from its mother. At that moment, she was unsure if the mother cat was nearby.
She reached out to Campbell’s Nursery from the parking lot to inquire if anyone had seen a stray mother cat, but regrettably, no one had.
She resolved to take the kitten home and return to the same parking lot the next day in hopes that its mother would come back for it.
The kitten turned out to be a boy, so she named him Campbell, of course.
“I returned Campbell to the spot at Campbell’s where I found him in hopes that his mother might come back. Unfortunately, there was no sign of her. Given the expansive area, it was a long shot, but at least we gave it a try,” Hunter explained.
Welcoming The Kitten Home
With no sign of the mother cat, Hunter quickly made the decision to adopt the kitten.
After a visit to the vet, she discovered that Campbell was definitely under a week old and fortunately, he was in good health, though still far too young to be without care.
After sharing her story on Facebook, Hunter was able to connect with a friend whose mother’s cat had just given birth, and arrangements were made for little Campbell to live with a foster mother cat.
“I want what’s best for him, and for him to have the complete kitten experience. This way, he can learn to be a cat and socialize with other kittens,” Hunter expressed.
Miraculously, a nurturing foster mom cat named Tully accepted Campbell immediately as her own. “It was beautiful to witness their first encounter and see him latch onto her for the very first time,” Hunter recalled.
For the following six weeks, Campbell thrived in his foster home, mingling with his foster siblings and growing perfectly.
After six weeks had passed, it was finally time for him to move to his forever home. Hunter was absolutely certain about the adoption.
“There was no question whatsoever. Honestly, within a minute of finding him, I was already thinking, ‘Alright, your name is obviously going to be Campbell’,” she told The Dodo.
Campbell is now a joyful, healthy kitten thriving in the Hunter household. He’s quite the playful little character who is sure to enjoy a long and happy life with his new mom.
