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Fast forward a few months, and these two are thriving. Mona has grown into a playful little powerhouse, while Marin has fully recovered from her injuries and now enjoys long naps, tasty treats, and the warmth of a home she can finally call her own. The cat distribution system definitely knew what it was doing with this one—and thanks to some kind hearts and a whole lot of love, this little family got the happy ending they deserved.
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01
"Once they got in the car together and calmed down."
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"Mona jumping out to get to Marin."
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MORE INFO FROM OP:
In August 2024, my partner and I discovered Mona, a tiny kitten, and Marin, her mother, in a Costco parking lot in Miami. Unfortunately, Miami is home to many stray and feral cats, and since we regularly feed and interact with these cats, we could tell that both of them needed help.
It all began when I pulled into the parking lot and noticed a little grey kitten sitting on the curb next to my car. When I opened the door, she quickly scurried under a shrub. Fortunately, I had some cat treats in my car from feeding the local ferals, so I was able to coax her out. Given how small and vulnerable she seemed, we knew she was in a dangerous spot, so we decided to take her with us. As we were picking her up, another cat appeared from the bushes. She looked slightly larger than Mona but was clearly injured—both her front and back paws appeared broken.
We quickly placed Mona in the car, but as soon as she was in, she frantically tried to jump back out to return to the other cat, who we later realized was her mother, Marin. We decided to bring Marin in as well, and as soon as she was in the car with Mona, the kitten calmed down, content to be with her mom. We searched the area for any other cats but didn’t find any.
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"The box we snuck them into our apartment in."
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"Mona in her new carrier."
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CONTINUED:
At the time, my partner and I were living in a small apartment in Miami while I completed my master’s degree, and we were planning to move to New England later that year. Financially and practically, we weren’t in a position to take on one cat—let alone two. We initially drove around to different animal shelters, hoping they could help, but every single one turned us away because they were full. With no other option, we brought the cats back to our apartment, hoping to find a shelter or foster home that could take them.
The next day, we took them to a vet who generously offered to examine both cats, perform blood work, and take x-rays of Marin’s injuries for free. The vet confirmed that Marin was only about 8–10 months old, and Mona was just 8 weeks. She explained that Marin’s front right paw had been broken for some time and had healed improperly, while her back left leg had a fresh break that would cost around $5,000 to repair. Moved by our distress, the vet gave Marin pain medication, wrapped her leg in a splint, and provided contact information for a local clinic that offered discounted surgeries.
After Marin was sedated and treated, we drove home—still not planning to keep the cats, but hoping to find a shelter that could help. Unfortunately, we quickly realized that the shelters in Miami were too full and overworked. We didn’t want to separate the two cats, and we couldn’t bear the thought of Marin not getting the surgery she needed. That led us to start a GoFundMe, and thanks to the generosity of donations, we raised enough money for the discounted surgery at the clinic.
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"Marin right after surgery."
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"Marin right after her cast came off."
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"Marin after her leg was healed and putting weight on it."
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CONTINUED:
At that point, we made the decision to officially name and keep the two cats. Mona was named after Mona Vanderwaal from Pretty Little Liars after the author of the series liked one of our fundraising posts. We decided to stick with M names and chose Marin, inspired by Hanna Marin—thinking it was a classy name for a classy cat.
We scheduled a consultation at the clinic, and after about two weeks of staying with us, Marin’s recovery was already showing progress. X-rays revealed that the back leg wrapped in the splint had healed enough to be repaired with a bone kit. We had originally thought an amputation might be necessary due to the cost, but the vet, understanding our situation, kindly offered to repair the leg for the price of the amputation in order to save it.
Marin handled the surgery like a champ—she was in and out the same day—and her recovery was swift. She came home woozy from the anesthesia, and Mona was ecstatic to see her mom after their first day apart. Marin’s full recovery took about six weeks to get the cast off, and around three months before she was fully walking and bearing weight on the leg.
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CONTINUED:
As we helped Marin recover, it became clear that we couldn’t part with either of them. They had become our babies, making themselves comfortable in our apartment from the moment they arrived (honestly, they made themselves at home the second they got in the car—so we knew they were never leaving once they realized how nice a warm home was). We had them chipped and spayed when Mona turned five months old, officially making them a permanent part of our family.
Now, Marin and Mona live the good life in our student apartment, spending their days eating, sleeping, and playing. Marin still has some difficulty with her front paw, which had healed beyond repair, but her back leg is fully recovered—and she’s getting fluffier by the day. We believe she’s a Nebelung cat, based on some research we’ve done, and we’re excited to watch her continue to grow. Mona, now bigger than Marin, is still the playful, affectionate kitten she’s always been. Together, they are a constant source of joy, cuddles, and love.
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