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According to Love Meow, it was last month that three kittens were brought to the Orange County Animal Shelter in need of help. All three of them were timid and scared, cowering in a corner. Baby Kitten Rescue (BKR), a rescue group in Los Angeles that saves critical care kittens and at-risk kittens, offered to help them.
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"The kittens were extremely terrified, unsocial, hissy and spitty. It was clear they either had no previous human interaction or if they did, it was not positive," Jamie, a foster volunteer of the BKR, explained. "I knew that underneath their rough exterior were just scared little babies wanting to feel safe, cared for and loved."
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The kittens were then, of course, named after spices - "Wasabi (seal point), Ginger (torbie), and Pepper (tuxedo)." They were about six weeks old, and from the very beginning, they stayed close to one another, giving each other comfort. The only brother - Wasabi - inherited most of the spiciness in the family though.
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"Wasabi was the spiciest. It was like he took it upon himself to be the protector of the group. He was also the king of the side eye," Jamie said. When they started to be socialized, Wasabi and his siblings got cuddles and treats as rewards. "I wrapped Wasabi up in a purrito, cleaned his eyes, administered some eye meds, and rewarded him with some chicken baby food."
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All it took were a few days for Wasabi to finally stop biting the hand that fed him. "While he was still the spiciest of the three kittens, he would fall asleep almost immediately if I swaddled him in a baby blanket." Slowly but surely, Wasabi and his sisters gained trust for their humans. They calmed down, and the fear in their eyes began to fade.
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"After two weeks of socializing, they started purring when I would pet them. It took a lot of time and patience leading up to this moment. I think holding them and feeding them treats is what signaled to them they were safe," Jamie said. After countless hours of patience, the kittens went from hissing to tentatively tolerating hugs and kisses, and even going as far as to seek pets and attention from their humans themselves.
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"They have made such a big transformation from where they were." Wasabi went through the biggest change, of course, considering he was the spiciest. "There was a point in time when I wasn't sure if Wasabi would ever stop hissing at me and not be scared of me."
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Now, he enjoys spending time with his foster mom and constantly purrs. "I'm proud of this little dude. He overcame some big fears. He's not only social, but a total lover. He purrs and seems to really love human affection. The best way to socialize kittens is with food and play. They must have consistent, positive interactions with humans over a long period of time to build trust and safety."
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The three kittens have come a long, long way from where they started, and now, the time has come for them to find their forever home - which all three of them did. Pepper has been pre-adopted and has a family eagerly awaiting to have her. And Wasabi and Ginger, because of the inseparable bond that they share, have been adopted into one forever home together.
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"They went from hissing, spitting, swatting and hiding to purring, playing and even climbing on me," Jamie shared. "I find that the spiciest ones are just the most scared, and they usually make the biggest turn around. I'm seeing that with Wasabi."
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