Emilie had always thought she’d seen it all as a foster carer, but when she met Sourdough, she realized she was in for a new challenge.
It all started when a homeowner called her up, asking if she could help with four kittens. Emilie, being the softie she is, said yes without hesitation.
The kittens were a bit on edge at first, hissing and puffing up like tiny warriors. But within a few days, three of them were all over Emilie, like, “Hey, you feed us and give us warm blankets? You’re our new best pal!”
But then there was Sourdough. From day one, this feisty furball made it clear he wasn’t here for Emilie’s kindness. Oh no, she was the enemy, and he was ready to wage war.
While the others embraced Emilie’s care, Sourdough would hiss and spit. And strangely enough, his attitude seemed to rub off on the others.
Every time Emilie would put him with his siblings, they’d start hissing at her again, as if he was whispering to them: “Don’t trust her, she’s up to something!”
The three friendlier kittens eventually found a new foster home, but Sourdough? He stuck around with Emilie.
She was determined to help him, no matter how long it took, so she put him through what she liked to call “socialization boot camp.” The goal was simple – get Sourdough to stop hating her guts.
Every day, she spent time with him, trying different techniques to win him over. But Sourdough wasn’t going to make it easy.
He refused to eat in front of her, no matter how tempting the food was. It was almost as if he’d decided that letting her see him eat would be some kind of victory on her part, and he wasn’t going to give in.
But Emilie wasn’t backing down. She knew that deep down, Sourdough needed her, even if he didn’t realize it yet.
One day, she noticed a tiny breakthrough – Sourdough ate with her in the room. Sure, he wasn’t thrilled about it, but hey, progress is progress! Emilie knew she was slowly but surely chipping away at his tough exterior.
Things were still touch and go, though. Sourdough wasn’t about to turn into a snuggle bug overnight.
But Emilie started to notice him calming down, even if just a little. She’d wrap him up in a blanket, turning him into a “purrito,” and keep him close.
Recently, an opportunity came that Emilie couldn’t pass up. A family she knew reached out: they’d adopted two kittens from her and had a real knack for dealing with tough cases. Thankfully, these great people wanted to add Sourdough to their family.
Emilie knows this is the perfect fit. This family could give Sourdough the love and patience he needs, and she feels good knowing he’s going to a great home.
As she prepares Sourdough for his new adventure, Emilie hopes he’ll finally let his guard down and realize that not all humans are the enemy.
Feisty kittens like Sourdough might show up with a ton of attitude, but underneath all that sass is a heart just waiting to be won over!
