Katie Duda was grieving the loss of her cat Lucky when she came across a photo of two kittens at Wrenn Rescues looking for a home. Duda could tell there was something unique about River when she took him and his brother up from their foster family.
“When I picked them up from the foster home, I thought I observed a big heart on his breast, but I wasn’t sure,” Duda told The Dodo. “I didn’t even bother to look at them or play with them.” Wrenn Rescues is a company I trust.”
River was bashful and wanted to hide at home, so Duda created a warm place for him with all the space he needed. Duda began to notice more heart-shaped markings on River’s coat as he became more at ease with his new family.
“I confirmed [one] on his chest, noted his nose was more heart-shaped than most cats, then under his paws, chin, and other places,” Duda explained. “We’ve found seven entire hearts so far, as well as two areas that appear to be heart-shaped at times.”
The kitty isn’t just covered in hearts; he’s also full of love.
“River has an old soul,” stated Duda. “He’s composed, attentive, and caring.” With River and Remi by their sides, my children have been able to grieve and recover in a gentle manner.”
“I thought the kittens to bring us joy, but they’ve actually provided us serenity,” she continued. “The heart-covered River is repairing damaged souls.”
River enjoys spending time with his human siblings, but he is always on the lookout for his kitten brother.
“River is nearly twice Remi’s size and serves as his guardian,” Duda explained. “Remi wanted to sit in a large potted plant in our dining room the other day. Remi was irritated because I had put foil in the pot to keep the kittens from playing in the dirt. River generously removed the foil for Remi, allowing him to lie in the mud.”
River’s fur has always had hearts on it, but Duda sees them as a sign that she made the correct decision.
“My initial reaction was that River’s hearts are Lucky’s way of letting us know how much he loves us,” Duda explained. “The love River’s hearts offer to my family may not be a literal message, but the love they bring is extremely real.”
To learn more about River and his brother Remi, you can follow them on Instagram.