“She was glued to my ankle, meowing …”
While exploring a park near her home in Virginia, Kate Long had an unexpected encounter that would change a small life forever. As she jogged along a trail, a tiny gray kitten suddenly darted toward her and locked eyes with her before trotting straight up.
“I was out on a trail run when this little kitten just appeared and ran right up to me,” Long said in a video shared with The Dodo.
It didn’t take long for Long to realize the kitten was in trouble. She was extremely thin and appeared to be suffering from an eye infection.
“She wouldn’t leave my side — she was right at my ankle, crying,” Long said. “You could tell she really needed help.”
Curious and concerned, Long tried to find out where the kitten had come from. After speaking with others nearby, she learned the sad truth: the kitten had been on her own in the park for several days, with no sign of a mother or anyone caring for her.
“I was told she’d been hanging around the park for a few days and hadn’t been seen with any other cats or people,” Long later shared on Instagram.
The moment Long picked her up, the kitten visibly relaxed. She began kneading with her paws and rubbing her face against Long, as if relieved to finally be safe.
“She completely won me over with how sweet she was,” Long wrote.
After a visit to the veterinarian confirmed the kitten wasn’t microchipped, Long decided to bring her home. She named her Stella, and it didn’t take long for the little cat to make herself comfortable. Within days, Stella was settling in, enjoying time outdoors, loving belly rubs, and enthusiastically devouring her favorite treats — Churus.
“She purred constantly,” Long said. “She had so much affection to give.”
Long was initially unsure how Stella would react to her dog, Finn, but her worries quickly faded. The two bonded almost immediately, playing and cuddling as though they’d always been together.
“She became fascinated with his fluffy tail and thought it was the best toy ever,” Long shared.
Although Long grew deeply attached to Stella, she ultimately couldn’t keep her, as her husband is allergic to cats. Instead, they made sure Stella was placed with a loving family who could give her the life she deserved.
“It was hard to say goodbye,” Long said, “but we knew she was going to a wonderful home.”
Though their time together was short, Long, her family, and Finn will always cherish the moments they shared with the tiny kitten who came running out of the woods and straight into their hearts.