Sometimes, life hands you surprises when you least expect them.
For Kailyn Abell and her fiancé, that surprise came in the form of a tiny, terrified kitten hiding in the most unlikely place, the bumper of their car.
The couple had just returned from a much-needed week-long vacation.
They were feeling relaxed, recharged, and ready to get back into routine as they stopped by to pick up their cat from the pet sitter.
But just as they were preparing to head home, something unexpected happened.
They started hearing strange noises coming from their car.
At first, they thought it might be a mechanical issue, maybe something rattling around under the hood after the long drive.
But as they listened more closely, they realized the sound was faint, almost like a soft cry.
Curious and slightly concerned, they looked around the vehicle, checking under the tires and peeking inside the wheel wells.
And that is when they saw her.
From beneath the bumper, a tiny kitten cautiously poked her head out.
She was wide-eyed, trembling, and clearly frightened.
It was one of those moments that stops you in your tracks, she was so small and so vulnerable, but at the same time determined not to move.
The couple immediately tried to help her, but she refused to come out.
Kailyn and her fiancé crouched down, trying to coax her with gentle voices, but the kitten stayed put.
She had likely been hiding there for quite some time and was not ready to trust just yet.
Thinking quickly, they came up with a plan.
If the kitten would not come out for them, maybe she would come out for a fellow cat.
Kailyn grabbed their own cat’s carrier and placed it nearby, hoping the familiar smell would comfort the scared little creature.
And it worked.
Slowly, cautiously, the kitten inched forward and finally stepped out from her hiding place. But just when they thought they had her, she bolted under a different car.
It was clear this rescue mission was going to take patience.
Eventually, after some careful maneuvering and a lot of persistence, they were able to catch her safely. The couple named her Louise.
“She was very scared at first but very gentle,” Kailyn shared in an interview.
“We had tried picking her up out of the car from the hood, but she wouldn’t fit and we didn’t want to hurt her. We put her back down to get a better angle on her.
She then found her way out and ran away under a different car.”
Once Louise was safe, the couple took her to the vet to make sure she was healthy.
She got a clean bill of health and a much-needed bath to get rid of fleas and dirt.
Kailyn’s fiancé was a bit hesitant about keeping the kitten at first.
They already had a cat and had not planned on adding another pet so soon. But Kailyn could not ignore the bond she felt with Louise.
“She is the nicest cat that I have ever met,” Kailyn said.
“She is snuggly, loving and overall just a very cheerful cat. The first night we had her she fell asleep on my chest, and I completely fell in love.”
From that night on, Louise was no longer just a stray kitten, she was part of the family.
She quickly adapted to her new home and became best friends with their other cat, filling the house with playful energy and endless affection.
It is hard to believe that just a short while ago, Louise was hiding, scared and alone, under the bumper of a car.
Now she is living her best life with a family who adores her.
What started as a puzzling noise ended up becoming one of the best surprises of Kailyn and her fiancé’s lives.
Louise may have been a stray, but to them, she feels like the treasure they never knew they were missing.