Abandoned Christmas kittens set for festivities in new home

Found abandoned as terrified kittens days apart last December, Buddy and Gabriel have never known what it’s like to spend Christmas in a loving home.

The two tiny friends were found wandering around alone and scared in a garden centre car park in the weeks leading up to the festive period – it’s likely that they were dumped there together.

Buddy, who was found first and particularly nervous, was about two months old, and Gabriel, who was covered in ticks when he arrived, was about four months old.

As Buddy was so petrified and probably knew Gabriel, who was far more confident than him, the two kittens were paired up and have been inseparable ever since.

They spent their first Christmas without a family at our rehoming centre in Kimpton, Hertfordshire – but this year will be far different for the two pals.

Four days after December 25 last year, they went home with new owner Sarah Bartlett and her family.

They had spotted the adorable duo on the Blue Cross website over the festive period and knew that they could give them the loving home they so very deserved – and, crucially, could keep them together.

Sarah, who lives in Hertford, Hertfordshire, said: “We went and looked at them on 27 December and they asked if we’d like to go away and think about it, but we knew that we didn’t need to.

“They were beautiful. We came straight home, took the Christmas tree and all the decorations down and picked them up on the 29th.

“Gabriel settled in straight away but Buddy was petrified to begin with. He didn’t want to come to us at all. It took us a long time to earn his trust.

“We couldn’t really touch him so just had to let him come to us. It took a couple of weeks until he let you stroke him, but he wouldn’t sit on your lap. It must have been a good couple of months before he would get on your lap or anything like that.

“But now he’s in the bed, on your lap and everything! His still quite reserved with strangers but he’s absolutely fine with us.

“Buddy looked to Gabriel for reassurance and that was why I would have never split them up.”

The two cats are rarely on their own for long and have built up a strong bond with the family, with Buddy now brimming with confidence despite the trauma of his kittenhood.

“I just can’t understand how anybody could dispose of something like this, particularly they were so young. Buddy was tiny,” said Sarah.

She added: “We love them dearly, they’re very much part of the family. “We feel very privileged to have them!”

Kirsten Findlay, rehoming supervisor at Blue Cross Hertfordshire, said: "Stories like this show why it is so important to get your cats neutered as it prevents any unwanted kittens ending up in this sad situation.

"Buddy and Gabriel are two of the very lucky ones as they would have been extremely vulnerable in the big wide world and it was an added bonus they had each other.

"It is fantastic to see them happy, safe and warm in their home where they should be this Christmas."