Two flea-covered kittens are rescued from a backyard tree and a year later their transformation is melting hearts

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Oct 27, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Two kittens are better than one, especially when they're already best friends. You get twice the cuteness, twice the mischief, and twice the number of cats trying to steal your dinner. Your house might become a little more chaotic, but at least the kittens have someone else to bother when you're trying to sleep.

Bonded cats have their own little world, and we're just lucky enough to watch it. They'll spend hours chasing each other around the house, fighting over the same toy, and squeezing into beds that are clearly meant for one cat. Five minutes after a dramatic wrestling match, you'll find them curled up together like nothing happened.

We love seeing kittens grow up alongside their siblings. They learn how to play together, keep each other company, and develop little routines that their humans eventually come to recognize. Some pairs are constantly cuddling, while others prefer sitting a few feet apart and keeping an eye on each other. Either way, it's pretty sweet knowing they've got a familiar face nearby.

Their purrsonalities can be completely different, too. You might have one kitten who charges into every room like they own the place and another who needs three business days to investigate a cardboard box. Somehow, they make a pretty good team.

Margaret and Tapeworm are two kitties who have been sticking together since their earliest days. Their human discovered them in the yard back in February when they were around eight weeks old. The frightened kittens immediately climbed a tree, leaving their future owner to retrieve them.

Margaret, the black-and-white kitten, was feisty and nearly jumped out of their rescuer's hands. Tapeworm, the white kitten, was so frightened that he went limp and trembled. Both were tiny, weighing around 700 grams, and covered in fleas.

Their rescuer brought them inside, gave them baths, and set up a temporary home in the bathroom while they adjusted. Tapeworm was climbing into people's laps by day three, but Margaret took about two weeks to stop hissing whenever her human moved.

These days, Margaret is actually the clingier sibling. Apparently, she just needed a little more convincing that humans were worth her time.

Both cats are now healthy, vaccinated, microchipped, and approaching their first birthday. They've grown considerably since their days as frightened little backyard kittens, but they're still happiest hanging out near each other.

Here's hoping Margaret and Tapeworm celebrate many more birthdays together, preferably with twice the treats!

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  • 01
    I found these two in my yard February this year. They were scared by me, and immediately climbed up a tree. I just plucked
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    AND 000 000 BERGE WOOD
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    them off. Margaret, (black and white) was more feisty, and nearly jumped out of my hands, while Tapeworm (white) just went limp and trembled, poor thing.
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    Cheezburger Image 10673047296
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    They were around eight weeks old, weighed about 700g? and were covered in fleas, so much so that when I gave them a bath the water immediately stained dark brown with flea dirt.
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    Cheezburger Image 10673048320
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    Cheezburger Image 10673047808
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    I set up a space for them in the bathroom for the first few weeks as they were still skittish, and they started to come out of their
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    303
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    Cheezburger Image 10673048576
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    shell. Tapeworm would climb into people's laps on day three, while it took Margaret about two weeks to stop hissing at me when I moved. Funnily enough she's the clingier of the two now.
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    Cheezburger Image 10673047040
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    Vet gave them a clean bill of health, and I got them vaccinated, chipped, and desexed. It's nearly approaching
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    Cheezburger Image 10673048064
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    a year old for both of them now and they'd gotten so big. They still stay near each other like they did as when I first found them though.
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    Cheezburger Image 10673046528
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    e
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    Regular_Brilliant_77 Oh they're bonded bonded
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    gilly_girl Tapeworm has a name that all the vet techs remember.
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  • We absolutely love a cat with a weird name! Sure, names like Luna and Milo are adorable, but there's something special about meeting a cat named Tapeworm. You just know you're never going to forget that little guy. The stranger the name, the more we love it.

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    Similar_Active3540 Super happy for your history!! My old cranky face is smiling now.
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    Intelligent-Wear-114 They are loving their home. and staff!
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  • Margaret and Tapeworm seem to have adjusted pretty well to having their own human servant! They were a little suspicious at first, but a few weeks of free meals, comfy beds, and unlimited attention must have convinced them this was a pretty good arrangement. We wouldn't be surprised if they're already demanding breakfast at 5 a.m. and stealing their human's favorite spot on the couch.

  • 22
    DawnOfShadow68 These are the kind of names Baggins hobbits give their daughters and sons. "Oh yeah my children, Daffodil and Bongus"
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    hud_dev Why on earth would you give one of them such a weird name like Margaret?
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    MrBytor Healthy, happy, beautiful. Thank you for accepting your CDS donation.
    via MrBytor

  • When the Cat Distribution System comes calling, you answer! You might not have been planning to adopt two kittens, but when a couple of tiny furballs show up in your yard, what else are you supposed to do? Margaret and Tapeworm clearly picked the right house. Their human answered the call, and now they've got a lifetime of free food, cuddles, and absolutely no rent to pay!

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wholesome adoption felines Cats bonded pairs rescue transformation update
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