“He actually was trying to follow me onto the bus.”
A few months ago, Keighley Eryn Card walked to the bus stop outside her job, as she typically did after each workday. The few minutes she stood waiting for the bus were just like any other, until she heard an unusual cry for help coming from a nearby bush.
As the high-pitched cries continued to ring out, Card soon realized that they belonged to a tiny kitten. She could hear him clear as day, but the baby was nowhere in sight.
“He was mewing from the bush, and I kind of mewed back at him because I didn’t know where it was coming from,” Card told The Dodo. “He came out instantly, purring and rubbing up on my ankles.”
Card was shocked by the kitten’s presence. She instinctively wanted to bring him home, but she thought he might’ve already had a family nearby.
“I wasn’t sure if his mom was coming back or if he belonged to someone on the campus I worked at,” Card said. “I remember thinking about him that night, hoping he was OK.”
Card returned to the bus stop the next day hoping to see the little guy again. To her surprise, he was still around and more eager to see her than ever.
“He actually was trying to follow me onto the bus,” Card said. “That’s when I was like, ‘OK, this kitty is choosing me, and I can’t leave him.’”
Card instantly scooped the baby up and boarded the bus with her new friend, whom she named Jasper, in tow. As soon as they got home, Jasper’s demeanor changed from scared to intrigued.
“When I got home, he was curious and checking out all of the new hiding places,” Card said.
With the help of her neighbors, Card quickly collected a few necessities for Jasper, like food and a litter box. It was Card’s first time caring for a feline, but she was more than up to the task.
She found Jasper a safe and quiet place to decompress and then began bonding with him.
“I set him up in my bathroom and kept him there for a couple of days, and he adjusted really fast!” Card said. “His personality went from scared little kitty to fearless, curious kitty who hides and ambushes me from across the room.”
It’s been a few months since Card rescued Jasper, and the little guy has since grown into a healthy, fluffy boy. Once tiny and scared, Jasper is now grateful for his new life and more confident than ever.
“He definitely thinks he owns the place,” Card said.
As for Card, Jasper’s presence in her life is a newfound adventure, and she’s loving every minute of it.
“Jasper has definitely changed my view on cats!” Card said. “I grew up only having dogs, thinking I didn’t like cats, really. But I realized that I love cats and just needed to find the one I was compatible with to give them a chance!”
