Woman Rescues Sick Kitten but Isn't Prepared For What She Turns Into

A cat owner who rescued a sick kitten was stunned to discover it may be a purebred Maine Coon—with the feline more than doubling in size in just three months.

Alli, a bag and accessories creator based in Perth, Australia, was taking her dog to be washed at the local pet store when she came across a litter of kittens up for adoption.

"She was found with her siblings on the streets of Perth," Alli told Newsweek. "She was the smallest kitten in the pen."

Although Alli wasn't planning to adopt a cat, she fell in love with the tiny kitten and took her home. However, it was clear that the kitten, who she named Matilda (Tillie for short), was very ill. Despite being four months old, Tillie only weighed 2 pounds— half the normal size for a kitten her age.

"She had only been spayed two days before and had already pulled out her stitches so we had to watch her carefully," Alli said.

"She spent the first day snuggled in a blanket on my shoulder, and the first meal she absolutely inhaled, she was starving."

The next day, Alli noticed that Tillie's spay wound was seeping. She was also lethargic and her temperature was rising, so she took her to the vet.

"This vet said that she was a very sick kitten who would need various tests and then would probably be put to sleep as they believed she had Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)," Alli said.

Fortunately, Alli went to another vet for a second opinion. She disagreed with the FIV diagnosis and instead suspected an infection.

"She was shocked at the terrible state Tillie was in," Alli said. "She was underweight, very thin and had patchy fur."

Tillie was given antibiotics for two weeks and put on a very high-calorie diet to help her gain weight. Alli also had to check the wound site every day to ensure the infection was healing, and try to keep her calm so she could heal.

Luckily, Tillie's health quickly began to improve and she started to grow rapidly. Now seven months old, Tillie weighs a healthy seven pounds. However, the vet had another surprise for Alli.

"We were discussing her gorgeous tail and coat and after looking at her hairy ears, the vet believes she is a Maine Coon," Alli said.

"We found this absolutely hilarious after she was so small and underweight."

If Tillie is a Maine Coon, she may continue to grow until she is five years old. One of the largest domestic cat breeds, Maine Coons can reach between 10 and 16 inches in height and can weigh up to 18 pounds.

"We honestly don't mind what breed she is," Alli said. "We were not expecting a pedigree breed from a rescue kitten. She's our gorgeous baby."

Alli shared a clip of Tillie as a kitten to her TikTok account @loulouandmo, along with footage of the cat's amazing progress. The video quickly went viral, melting hearts and receiving over 450,000 views.

"No matter what breed, she is gorgeous," commented Andi.

"Wonderful transformation," agreed Yvi.

"Glow up of the year," wrote marunekogaming.

"The tail is a vibe," said Jamiehi_z.

"[More] kitty to squish," commented Averil.

"What a sweet baby," wrote melodie, while Syn said it's "amazing how the most frazzled rescues can become so beautiful."

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