Time was running out for a little tabby in an animal shelter in Japan. He had to be adopted before the week is over, otherwise, he would be put to sleep. The chances of him finding a new “forever” home were slim, but fate does work wonders. Now he has a loving human mom who calls him Unagi, eel in Japanese, and a “twin” older brother whom he absolutely adores.
Dire Odds
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In June 2017, people saw the two-month-old kitten walking on the street in freezing weather. The scene tugged at their heart and prompted them to bring it to an animal control centre located in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
In Japan, it is a mandatory rule for pet owners to register their pet in the local management department. Animals that are not a part of the list, like Unagi, will be considered ownerless and will be sent to the centre to be cared for whilst the staff are searching for people who are interested in adopting them.
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However, there is one big trouble. It has a withstanding rule that these animals can only stay in the centre for a maximum of one week, or they will be put to sleep. And for Unagi, this could be a probable tragic ending, especially when days have already passed and still no one is interested in taking him home.
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Unagi is a healthy and adorable little kitty. To think that he would possibly end up being euthanised broke the hearts of the animal control centre’s staff. As their way of creating more chances for the kitten to be adopted, they diligently made a short advertising film for Unagi. They uploaded it on the internet in hopes of finding the kitty a new pet parent.
Just in Time
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Luckily for the small tabby, a woman coincidentally came across a website that shows Unagi’s pet adoption advertisement. She was just browsing through the internet during her break time when she chanced upon it. One can only imagine her surprise when she saw that the kitten has almost an uncanny resemblance to her cat, Suzume.
Right then and there, Unagi’s mom decided that she is ready to adopt the wide-eyed kitten and welcome him into the family. On the 26th of June, she took a day off from work and drove to the shelter as early as 4 AM for the emergency kitten rescue. It was the last day of the kitten’s adoption deadline and her last chance to save him from being euthanised.
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The adoption was a success. By the time they were finished visiting the vet for his vaccination and deworming, it was time for Unagi to see his new home. But because of the ordeal that he experienced, Unagi felt very scared and refused to leave his carrier. However, things were about to look brighter for this little kitty as he was about to meet his new older brother.
Affectionate Doppelganger
As soon as Unagi started mewling in the living room, Suzume came running to meet his new baby brother. Since they were strangers meeting for the first time, they greeted each other from a distance. Their mom also understood that introducing a new kitten to an adult cat may take some time. So she gave them space to get to know each other.
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Suzume would frequently come by to check on Unagi. He was gradually becoming more curious about his brother and wanted to know everything about him. The small gap between the two was easily bridged , as soon as Unagi was medically cleared and they were able to become familiar with each other’s scents. After that, the two seemingly identical feline brothers started to interact.
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Unagi, a little feisty kitty that he is, would tail Suzume everywhere he goes. He would jump on the closet, squeeze himself inside the basket, and search around the house just to be beside his older brother. Unagi loves to snuggle with Suzume, and the latter does not seem to mind. It also seems that he is growing fond of his new companion. He would join little Unagi’s mischievous games and even groom the younger cat.
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The older cat’s affectionate treatment towards the new kitten might be because he too was a rescued when he was little. Suzume must have felt and understood Unagi’s need for love and attention from a loving home, that he showers him with many.
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These two adorable brothers snatched the hearts of many pet lovers. So much so, they have over seven hundred thousand followers on Instagram. If you want to see more of Unagi and Suzume, you can follow their account here.
Another Chance
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Thanks to Unagi and Suzume’s mom, the two furry buddies have found a place to call home. Their lives were saved from being snuffed short. But most importantly, they were given second chances to be loved and give love in return.
