12-year-old cat found on the side of the road as a kitten and surrendered to the local animal hospital, now lives out her nine lives with the ER nurse who saved her life

kalila courban

Mar 20, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

Hey there, friends! We hope your day is off to a fantastic start. If you haven't already, we highly recommend taking a moment to cuddle your pets (or admire a cute animal video) for a little serotonin boost. Speaking of pets—have you ever met an animal that completely changed your life? That's exactly what happened to today's original poster (OP), who was working at an animal ER when a tiny, lifeless kitten was surrendered. She was in such bad shape that the vet doubted she'd make it through the night, but OP was determined to give the baby another chance.

And so, OP did. Through flea baths, syringe feedings, and around-the-clock care, the tiny kitten—Rice Ann Gravy—fought her way back. OP had planned to find her a home, but let's be real—that was never going to happen. Twelve years later, Rice is still here, still beautiful, and still a total brat (in the best way). This heartwarming story is a reminder of the power of second chances—and the unbreakable bond between humans and their cats.

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"My cat named Rice Ann Gravy."

via IMissMyDogFlossy
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"Found on side of road as a kitten and surrendered to an animal ER I was working for at the time."

via IMissMyDogFlossy
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"Was supposed to just nurse her then find her a home."

via IMissMyDogFlossy
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"I fell in love. She's pretty and she knows it."

via IMissMyDogFlossy
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"12 years later and still my beautiful bratty baby."

via IMissMyDogFlossy
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via IMissMyDogFlossy
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via SoftCattle

"Indeed!! She is quite adored by husband, me, and even the dog. She has pet ramps so she doesn't have to jump as she gets older, a catio (patio for cats) to birds watch, a bubble machine with catnip bubbles, and sleeps in a king size bed against my husband belly every night. She and the dog are both a little rotten but, they're my children"
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via STLt71
MORE INFO FROM OP:
"When they brought her in, she was so sick her eyes were matted shut. Lifeless. The vet I was working with doubted she’d make it through the night, so we decided to humanely euthanize her.
Beforehand, I wiped her eyes with a warm, wet cloth—just a small kindness in her final moments. That’s when we saw them—her beautiful eyes, shining through the discharge from a respiratory infection. She was looking at me, pleading for a chance.
So I told the vet I’d nurse her through the night and see what happened. I gave her a flea bath, meds, and food via syringe, then held her against my skin for warmth. The next 24 hours were critical, and after two weeks of around-the-clock care, she pulled through.
I told myself I’d find her a home, but deep down, I knew that was a lie—we had bonded. Her eyes saved her in more ways than one. We often took in sick or injured animals, and too often, there were no homes for them. Pet overpopulation is an epidemic here in the South. If only more people would spay and neuter!
But Rice is still here, still kicking, and still a beauty."
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via Sanswyrm

"They are so beautiful in person. The pictures don't even do them justice."
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via JCthulhuM D

"She is quite anti government. She spearheaded a failed campaign to end taxes on cat treats."
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via bmanley620
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via RainbowMagicSparkles

"Aww thank you. She is a pretty girl and she knows it"
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via Old-Energy6191
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via whodatdog7533
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via teresadinnadge
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via SeaFloofs
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via Shatowcat