The staff at a shelter in San Pablo, California named Jelly’s Place has met many unadoptable pets, but so far, this kitten was the worst. Whenever she sees people walk by or approach her cage, she would retract to the corner and hiss. Because of that, the little cat seemed to have a very slim chance of winning an adopter’s heart.
The staff decided to ask for help from one of their seasoned feral kitten whisperers named Kendal Benken. Kendal knows some tricks on how to tame even the most undomesticated cats. Her crew, composed of rescue dogs and cats, has this special talent of making any animal feel like a part of their family.
Kendal went to the shelter to observe the kitten. Minutes later, Kendal determined that the five-week-old Siamese was not frightening. Instead, she was likely scared.
Kendal explained that being a little demon was the kitten’s way of showing how terrified she was. Most likely, the tiny feline had never interacted with humans, making her act so aggressively. Despite that, Kendal found her so adorable.
Kendal wrapped the surly kitten with a towel, put her in a crate, and brought her home. That did not sit well with the cat, who was still grumpy when they got home. Despite that, Kendal was sure that she would win the kitten over and named her Betty, after the actress Bette Davis.
Kendal put Betty inside a big dog crate, which she placed in the middle of the kitchen. She said that the best way to handle feral kittens is to make them go out of their comfort zone. Then, put them in a busy part of the house.
Soon, Kendal’s rescue animals started approaching Betty. They huddled around her in an attempt to make her feel welcome. However, among them all, no one wished to be Betty’s fried more than Truvy, Kendal’s giant yellow Lab mix.
According to Kendal, Truvy has this special gift of gravitating toward rescue animals. She believes that the giant dog fancies herself as a mama cat. Betty’s attitude fascinated Truvy a lot.
Within two weeks, Betty decided that her foster family was not so bad. She became more welcoming of being held and pet. Then, a breakthrough happened. Suddenly, Betty crawled onto Truvy and made herself comfortable.
Truvy could not move, knowing that Betty was on her. Finally, Betty returned Truvy’s affection, and the pup could not be happier. The once scary kitten has now become the sweetest little cat. It was such a bittersweet moment for the Benken family.
Now, Betty lives with her new owner, Roz Westil. According to Roz, she instantly knew that Betty was the right pet for her when she saw a photo of the kitten on top of the dog.
Credit: Kendal Hall Benken
