Who would dump a kitten into the bitter cold on Christmas Day? We don’t know who did it, but we know that sweet Ozzie was abandoned, left to his own survival instincts and devices. This is his story.

A friend of the Feline Foundation of Greater Washington has been feeding an adult, fixed, vaccinated cat, Mama Ash twice a day at a nearby shopping center for over two years. Imagine the caretaker’s surprise when, on Christmas Day 2017, she caught sight of a small tuxedo kitten. The caretaker looked for that kitten in the three weeks that followed but didn’t see him. She placed an ad on both Nextdoor and Craigslist to see if anyone in the area had lost a kitten. With no responses, she continued to keep an eye out for the kitten.

Then, on January 31 2018, she saw the kitten again. He shot out of the winter shelter, running off. From there, it was game-on to get this kitten to safety. The caretaker borrowed a humane trap and set it up with some tasty cat food. After only one hour, the caretaker returned to find the kitten inside. Straight to her vet they went to have him scanned for a microchip and examined to ensure he was healthy. He had no microchip, and despite being so young and on his own, he was ruled healthy!

His name Ozzie, is short for Ozymandias, a mighty Egyptian “king of kings”. Given Ozzie’s demonstrated ability to survive against all odds, the name fit. His progress has continued to improve since going to live in a real home. He cuddles in his foster family’s laps, “helps” them with their work during the day, poses in all of his handsomeness for pictures, and is even learning to play with toys.

Ozzie will need someone to go slowly with him when he moves to their home as its newest feline family member. Once he knows he’s safe, he’ll reward you with purrs, snuggles, and playtime. He is so worth it – he was  always  worth it.