Tiny vest helps brave kitten heal

There is nothing cuter than a tiny kitten in a tiny vest (except maybe a tiny kitten in a tiny top hat). It’s impossible to look at Powder in her pink vest without getting hearts in your eyes. But this brave kitten wasn’t wearing the vest to make a fashion statement — it was part of veterinary treatment that saved her life.

Powder and her littermate, Match, came to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles from a city shelter when they were just a few weeks old. Both kitties had colds, but the vet team noticed something more was wrong with Powder: The teeny tabby was very weak and working hard to breathe.

The team discovered she had flat-chested kitten syndrome, a congenital condition where a kitten’s rib cage is flattened or sunken in. This condition can lead to collapsed lungs and impact the ability to eat and gain weight, so it was critical to start treatment right away.

This tiny kitten could have become a statistic when she landed in a shelter, especially if that shelter were already full and struggling to save healthy animals. Best Friends' goal is for all shelters across the country to reach no-kill — and that means working together to save pets like Powder who need extra care or time.

Because Powder was still growing, the team designed a special vest — a splint covered in soft bandages — to help reshape her rib cage. For the next few days, she stayed in an incubator in the kitten nursery, looking stylish in her custom couture. Before long, she was breathing easily and able to come off oxygen.

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With her sister Match by her side, Powder spent the next few weeks recovering in a foster home. As she became stronger, she discovered just how fun it is to be a kitten — climbing, pouncing, exploring, and getting into all kinds of shenanigans with Match.

After returning to the pet adoption center, Powder and Match immediately charmed a pair of medical students and roommates who decided to adopt them both. With one kitten in a cat sling and the other in a kitty backpack, they were off to their new home.

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Today, they are living their best lives with more toys than a kitten could want. Yes, they enjoy snuggling and being petted. However, when the urge to play hits — even if it’s the night before a big exam — all bets are off.

Powder may have left her pink vest in the past, but her zest for life will never go out of style.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.