On a cold and snowy night late last month, the Steinbach Fire Department in central Canada had an unexpected visitor. No one saw it coming!
A shivering stray kitten appeared at the station window, desperately seeking warmth. The firefighters on duty sprang into action as she tried to find her way inside.
The kitten was clearly in need of help. “I was walking and noticed her at the window. A member of the department went outside and she came right to them,” recounted fire chief Kelvin Toews.
Having no place to call home, the kitten had been lingering around the station. They couldn’t bear to leave her out in the cold, so they welcomed her inside.
She quickly made herself at home. Dirty and hungry, the kitten was nevertheless grateful to be in a warm and safe environment. The calico cat quickly endeared herself to the firefighters with her affectionate nature.
Toews, who already had four cats, offered to take her home temporarily while searching for her owner.
The firefighters were immediately smitten with the kitten. They named her Ember and took her to the veterinarian the next day. Aside from some mild frostbite on her ear tips, she was in good health.
After posting about Ember on Facebook and finding no one to claim her, they ensured she was well cared for. She received vaccinations and treatment for ear mites.
Ember turned out to be an exceptionally sweet kitten. She relished all the attention, constantly seeking pets and cuddles.
Although the firefighters would have loved to keep Ember as their station cat, they recognized she needed a stable home with a family to adore her.
The fire station wasn’t an ideal home for Ember. “Steinbach does not have a full-time fire department so the station is not continuously staffed,” they explained. “Unfortunately, the station can go days without someone being there.”
Determined to find a loving home for Ember, they placed her with a cat foster caregiver.
She got a thorough bath and smelled wonderful afterward! Ember was also spayed and quickly recovered, returning to her affectionate and playful self.
Now ready to start a new chapter in her life, Ember soon found her forever home.
“She’s found a nice spot to call her own and has really made this home. I cannot believe how well-behaved she is – exactly what we’ve been looking for,” her new family remarked.