“They were obviously scared. They were huddled together, all in the back of the carrier.”
Erielle Bernardo, animal care associate at Mini Cat Town, was having a typical day at work when a woman walked into the cat shelter with her dog. Bernardo’s first instinct was to politely inform the woman that dogs aren’t allowed in the facility — but then she realized something was wrong.
The woman, who didn’t speak English, showed Bernardo a translated message on her phone explaining that she’d found a carrier full of abandoned kittens in the parking lot. Bernardo followed the woman through the mall where Mini Cat Town is located, all the way to the parking area.
When Bernardo opened up the cat carrier, what she saw shocked her. Staring back at her were six pairs of eyes belonging to six tiny black kittens.
Erielle Bernardo
“I didn’t expect there to be six,” Bernardo told The Dodo. “They were obviously scared. They were huddled together, all in the back of the carrier.”
The kittens were only about 6 weeks old. Despite being abandoned, it luckily seemed like someone had been feeding and caring for them.
While Mini Cat Town typically focuses on adoption rather than taking in surrendered cats, Bernardo explained the situation to her bosses, who agreed to add the kittens to their foster program.
As soon as Bernardo’s bosses started trying to find a foster parent for the kittens, Bernardo had a gut feeling that she should be the one to take the kittens in. She’d never fostered a kitten before — so she figured why not dive in and foster six of them at once?
Bernardo gave the kittens DJ-inspired names: Toki, Kaskade, Zedd, Kaytra, Softie and Partyboy. In the two weeks since Bernardo started fostering the kittens, they’ve been thriving. Each one of them is healthy and growing quickly.
Erielle Bernardo
In the short time Bernardo has had the kittens, their little personalities have already started to shine through. Toki has the loudest purr, Kaskade and Zedd are the cuddliest, Kaytra is the most independent, while Softie and Partyboy are the biggest wrestlers.
Erielle Bernardo
“It is so rewarding and so fun to be with them,” Bernardo said.
In about three to four weeks, the kittens’ foster period will be over and they’ll be available for adoption. If you’re located near the San Francisco Bay Area and are interested in adopting one or more of the kittens, Bernardo will be posting updates about them to her Instagram. You could also ask Mini Cat Town about the kittens directly.
Erielle Bernardo
After everything they’ve been through, all Bernardo wants is for each of these six sweet cats to find loving homes.
To support other animals like these kittens, you can donate to Mini Cat Town here.
