Saving tiny, vulnerable kittens is no easy task, but in 2015, the ASPCA Kitten Nursery was up to the challenge. In just its second year of operation, our neonatal unit provided love and care for more than 1,500 kittens—a new record representing an incredible impact on New York City’s feline population. And now that kitten season has officially come to a close, we’d like to take a moment to spotlight two of this year’s adorable graduates, Yin and Yang. Here is their Happy Tail.

The first six weeks of a cat’s life are of the utmost importance: much of their lifelong health and personality are determined during this critical time. So when four-week-olds Yin and Yang arrived at the ASPCA weak and underweight, we knew they would need immediate attention. Fortunately, the ASPCA Kitten Nursery is designed to handle kittens at this precise stage of life, and the brother-sister duo was placed on an immediate regimen of round-the-clock feedings and care.

 

It was June—the height of kitten season—and more than 50 ASPCA workers were present 24/7 to tend to Yin, Yang and hundreds of other newborns in need. After just three weeks, the sweet siblings were stronger, healthier and eager to explore the world around them. Knowing that they would benefit from some extra socialization, we decided to find them a foster caregiver who could provide that added TLC. That’s when we met Tia F.

Tia grew up with Siamese cats and was looking to begin a career in pet care. She decided that fostering a kitten was the perfect way to practice caring for kitties, so she agreed to take in Yin and Yang on a temporary basis. After the adorable babies moved into her Manhattan apartment, though, Tia knew she would be hard-pressed to give them up. “Once I had them, I would start crying every time I had to bring them into the ASPCA for a check-up in case it was the last time I saw them!” she recalls. “I realized there was no way I could give them back.” So on August 15, two months after their arrival and a month into their foster care, Yin and Yang had found themselves a permanent home.

Although Yin and Yang will likely always be small—they currently weigh 3 lbs. and 4 lbs., respectively—they are active little kitties who love to play and explore. Tia says that they’re investigators who can hardly sit still, and that they like to watch mourning doves out the window. When they’re not causing trouble, though, the adorable kittens enjoy lounging on Tia’s bed and relaxing after a long day of fun.

 

We are so thrilled that Yin and Yang are safe and snug in their new home, and we can only hope that the rest of this year’s Kitten Nursery graduates will be so lucky. If you’d like to open your home to an animal in need, please visit the adoptable animals at the ASPCA Adoption Center in New York City, or visit our Find a Shelter page to locate available pets in your area.