We believe it is past time for dog and cat lovers everywhere to get together and put their differences aside, since you are going to see a loving dog who took in a couple of frightened kittens and temporarily “adopted” them.
Kona, a dog, has recently gone viral on Instagram as a result of her owner’s clean videos and photos posted on the platform. Kona’s parents opted to foster two kittens, Chester and Blair, who were found in the same backyard in New York City in December last year at the age of 10-12 weeks.
Given these circumstances, and the fact that Kona had been kitten-free for just three days before Chester and Blair came, it was only a matter of time before the three of them connected, since Kona was fiercely determined and knew precisely what each kitten required.
Bored Panda got out to Asa, the owner of Kona, to learn more about the situation, and you can read the whole interview with her by reading below!
More info: Instagram
Kona’s owner Asa is known for fostering a bunch of cats and dogs, and over the years she has been fostering, she has found over 164 animals their forever homes
We were naturally curious as to why Kona’s owner opted to start fostering animals in the first place, knowing that Asa had fostered over 164 animals and found them forever homes.
“It’s my way of giving back to the animals by fostering. I’ve always adored dogs, having grown up with three of them (4 at one point). I grew up in a shattered household, and my dogs were the one consistency in my life. As an only child, I relied heavily on them for comfort. They gave me so much joy throughout my youth that I knew I wanted to repay them in some manner, and fostering is my way of doing so.”
Given that, it was no surprise that she took on Chester and Blair’s case too
Kona is such a wonderful, selfless dog, that we couldn’t help but be curious about what pushed Kona to become a mama for other animals as well.
“It just happened!”. And the longer I nurtured it, the more it grew. She was ecstatic when she first met a foster kitten, but she bonded with her more as a friend than a foster mother. Then, as I began to foster more kids (both puppies and kittens), she began to take on more of a caretaker role, finally becoming a mama!”
What she didn’t expect was that the kittens were extremely cautious and terrified of people (much more than normal), as even the local animal rescuers who rescued them said they had difficulty catching and transporting them to safety.
We couldn’t deny that Kona, Blair, and Chester have a special bond after seeing all of these photos, so we asked Asa if she had any insight into why they bonded so well.
“I believe she felt that these two kittens were more reserved and undersocialized than the others we’d lately fostered.
She truly possesses a magical touch! They still run away from me after 6 weeks (socialization has been a lengthy process for them), but they attracted towards Kona from the time they spotted her on their first days here. Blair used to try to nurse Kona for the first few weeks; I’m not sure if it was a method for Blair to feel more at ease in this new surroundings, but Kona just laid calmly and let her chew on her.”
We concluded that fostering and looking after so many animals daily cannot be easy, so we asked Kona’s owner if she could share some of the main challenges when it comes to fostering.
“Fostering can be emotionally, physically, and financially exhausting. The emotional side, in my opinion, is the most difficult. The bulk of these fosters have made me cry, and they all feel like awful breakups. Some fosters I form a stronger attachment with than others, and those are the ones that are the most difficult to overcome; I’ve sobbed for two weeks straight before!”
The first kitten to arrive at Asa’s home was Blair, a very cute but timid torbie cat
Fostering all many small kittens and dogs is, of course, tough, but it is also extremely rewarding, and no process is complete without the best part! Asa expressed what she considers to be the best aspect of fostering.
It’s so much fun to see these animals grow! Whether it’s witnessing an undersocialized kitten or a timid dog open up and learn to trust people, watching a kitten or puppy grow up, or being there to witness a dog’s firsts (first time on leash, first bath, first treat, first snow), each and every dog has their own story and way of blossoming, and it’s such a rewarding experience to be there to witness it.
As we mentioned previously, fostering can be quite challenging, but some days it’s important to remember the process itself and embrace things as they are.
“My most difficult task is also the most enjoyable! As difficult as it is to say goodbye to an animal you’ve welcomed into your house and cared for as if it were one of your own, it’s also a wonderful feeling to be able to send them off to their forever homes. And receiving updates from the adopters and watching them grow up on Instagram is my biggest joy post-adoption!”
And a day after Blair’s arrival, Chester the ginger kitten was introduced to his new temporary family too
Both kittens were in need of socialization, having had little to no human interaction throughout their lives on the streets
It wasn’t a problem, though, because Kona had taken care of and loved a lot of foster cats before, so she knew exactly what to do straight immediately.
The kittens were reassured of their safety and overwhelmed by all of Kona’s attention after a few washes and cuddles. The cautious kittens gradually gained confidence, and they recently interacted with Kona’s owner Asa. “These two nuggets opened up to mama Kona instantly, but it’s been a much slower journey with me,” Asa posted on Instagram.
As a result, they’ve started to: take food from my hand, purr when petted, fall asleep near me, and even play right in front of me in the last week.
But I’m sure we wouldn’t have made nearly as much progress in the first week if it hadn’t been for Kona, so thank you, mama Kona!”
With Kona’s unconditional love and support, the three of them have been a cuddle-puddle ever since.
Here are some other kittens that Kona took care of
