Last fall, Superhero Animal Rescue (in Rexburg, Idaho) was notified by concerned citizens about a box of kittens that had been left on the porch at the adoption center.

“It was so cold and they were calling out for help. These kind people stayed with them until we could get over there, and helped us get them inside,” Superhero Animal Rescue shared.

The kittens were in poor shape and possibly had some underlying health issues. Despite their very best efforts to save them all, Tucker (grey) became the sole surviving kitten from the litter.

“Tucker was the bigger and the loudest kitten in his litter. He was probably the one whose meow was loud enough for passing neighbors to hear him,” Cindy Congdon, a foster volunteer of the rescue, told Love Meow.

The little ball of fur was tiny but had a big voice and a mighty will to live.

With painstaking care (including probiotics, supplemental kitten milk, and subcutaneous fluids), Tucker was finally out of the woods and began to thrive.

He needed a playmate who could show him the ropes and keep him company.

“Kittens who are raised with other kittens become better pets: they learn critical social skills and boundaries from their littermates.”

Around that time, an orange kitten named Rowan was in need of a buddy. His stay in foster care was extended when his adoption fell through. Once Tucker was medically clear, the two boys had a meet-and-greet.