When a kind farmer in Indiana found a half-frozen kitten in her barn, she was hopeful that the mother was nearby.

She covered the ten-day-old in hay to warm it up and waited with fingers crossed.

But when no mama cat showed up, she realized the kitten was hopeless without her help.

Keep reading to discover how this tiny orphan kitten was given a second chance.

Rushing to the Rescue

Thankfully, the kind farmer who discovered the freezing kitten was prepared.

She wrapped the tiny kitten in a blanket and brought her to Catsnip Etc., a local non-profit rescue in Goshen, Indiana with a mission to humanely reduce and stabilize the free-roaming cat population.

Though the kitten was new to the world, life had not been fair to her.

When workers examined the kitten and discovered that she was malnourished, dehydrated, and covered in fleas.

But the experienced staff quickly took care of this.

They thoroughly combed her, tucked her into bed, and gave her a warm bottle.

Little did they know, this was only the beginning. This pint-sized kitten was about to reveal something precious.

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Everything changed when they unknowingly gave her a very special gift: a teddy bear.

It’s common for rescuers to give infant kittens stuffed animals.

Newborn kittens have an instinct to snuggle with their moms, therefore something warm and fuzzy like a stuffed animal is used to satisfy that instinct in orphan kittens.

Though workers didn’t realize it at the time, this seemingly simple gift would become the kitten’s most precious possession.

Tiny but Mighty

Within days, the kitten had recovered from her traumatic start.

The nutritious formula milk and loving care certainly helped— but it was the snuggly teddy that this bottle baby loved most of all.

Rescuers named the playful and snuggly kitten Cricket.

Cricket and her teddy bear did everything together. She wanted her teddy bear closeby for mealtime, naps, and snuggles.

When it came to a new situation that was new or unfamiliar, like a vet check-up, Cricket’s teddy bear made her feel safe.

When Cricket was strong enough to go to a foster home, it was only fair that her teddy with her.

A Package Deal

With each passing day, Cricket grows older and braver, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to retire her teddy bear friend.

Whenever her foster mom isn’t home, they keep each other company until she returns with hugs and kisses.

Their foster mom gushed about how much Cricket loves her teddy bear.

She said that they’ve been inseparable since the day the Cricket arrived.

Cricket is quickly growing more confident and independent, but she hasn’t outgrown her first friend.

They’re are a package deal– wherever Cricket goes, her teddy goes with her.

When this sweet girl is finally ready for adoption, her lucky new owner will be getting two new family members instead of one!