Watch what happens next …
When Olivia Gilbride agreed to foster a tiny shelter kitten named Peanut, the mission seemed straightforward: help the fragile kitten grow strong enough for her spay surgery and eventual adoption — and resist the urge to get too attached.
But everything changed the moment Peanut met the family’s resident cat, Cheddar.
At first, their relationship was far from smooth. Cheddar seemed more interested in pestering the kitten than befriending her, while Peanut was still adjusting to life outside the shelter. Still, day after day, the two stayed close — playing, napping, and quietly building a bond no one expected.
Meanwhile, Gilbride and her family were doing their best not to fall in love with Peanut. When the time came for her to return to the shelter, they stuck to the plan, even though it broke their hearts to say goodbye.
Then they saw Cheddar’s reaction.
“He’s just as heartbroken as us,” Gilbride shared on TikTok, after watching him search the house for his missing companion.
Suddenly, the family realized fostering wasn’t enough — Peanut wasn’t just any kitten, she was Cheddar’s best friend. And so, the very next day, Gilbride went back to the shelter and adopted Peanut for good.
That evening, when Cheddar spotted Peanut in her carrier, his excitement was undeniable. He sniffed her eagerly, waiting for the moment she was free again. Once reunited, the two curled up together, finally home for good.
What began as a temporary foster arrangement turned into something much more meaningful: the discovery that Cheddar had found his soulmate in Peanut — and the family couldn’t imagine separating them ever again.