Abandoned kitten found in Coalhurst on Christmas Eve finds a new home with Lethbridge couple

Sunny South News Photo Submitted by Erin Killins. Frankie, a 10-month old kitten found abandoned in a dumpster in Coalhurst on Christmas Eve, has a new family after she was adopted by a Lethbridge couple.

Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

It’s not the typical Christmas story, but it’s one with a very happy ending – for both a Lethbridge family and an abandoned kitten.

As friends and families gathered to celebrate the holidays last month, a 10-month old kitten in Coalhurst found herself alone and abandoned in a dumpster on Christmas Eve.

In the late afternoon hours of Dec. 24, someone passing by a large dumpster heard faint meows and discovered a kitten, who could not get out. The grey, orange and white tabby was taken to a nearby vet and eventually was given to the Last Chance Cat Ranch, a rescue organization in Lethbridge.

After allowing a few days to pass for possible owners to claim her, the cat, named Melody by the rescue organization, was put up for adoption and within a few days Erin Killins and her husband from Lethbridge had a new furry member of their family.

The couple had just decided to adopt a new pet after Christmas and chose to look for a cat, that would join the couple’s African Grey Parrot, named Vinny.

“We’ve moved passed the anger of her being dumped. It happened for a reason – people suck, we get it – but you know what, she was meant to be with us,” said Killins.

“She’s even adjusted to the bird.” Killins said she’s known about the Last Chance Cat Ranch since moving to Lethbridge several years ago and decided to look on their social media pages to adopt a cat.

“I saw Melody’s picture and said here’s my cat,” said Killins, noting that nobody came forward to claim her and the wheels were set in motion for the couple to fill out an application form and adopt her.

Following a thorough adoption process that included a phone interview and in-person visit at their Lethbridge home by the Last Chance Cat Ranch, they were ready to meet their soon-to-be new member of the family.

“We made arrangements to meet Saturday (Jan. 3) at the ranch. As soon as I walked in I saw Melody, I picked her up and she was like my long-lost friend,” said Killins.

“She just literally melted in my arms.” Although Melody, who has now been re-named Frankie, was in relatively good health, she was not spayed and was very thin, noted Killins, who added that Frankie has gained a tiny bit of weight in the past three weeks that they’ve had her.

“They said her paws were still in good shape so they don’t believe she was out very long,” she said, adding that the rescue organization took Frankie to a vet and had her spayed.

“You would never know that she got dumped – she was so calm when I put her in the (carry) bag to bring her home, not a peep out of her. She’s had zero stress, she had zero adjustment period,” explained Killins, noting she had a cat as a child and had her for a very, very long time and finding another cat was going to be a very difficult and very emotional decision because as Killins noted, a new cat would have ‘big paws to fill’ but Frankie did indeed fill them, she noted.

“When I saw Frankie’s picture, I said to my husband she’s giving me Spunky vibes – Spunky was my cat that I had for 23 years and this little girl is a complete reincarnation of my past animal – she’s everything and she’s perfect,” she added.

“I have always said, I will know when I find the right cat. It just happened to be instant.” Killins praised the Last Chance Cat Ranch, their volunteers and the work they do – all are volunteers who are “so dedicated and love what they do.”

“Through the years, I’ve heard of people volunteering there … they’ve always said it was such a nice place and they do such a good job,” said Killins, noting they are a no-kill rescue. “They’re super kind people that work there and it’s all non-profit. These people are all doing it voluntarily,” said Killins. Now settled into her new home, Killins said Frankie fit in perfectly with them, and described their new family member as affectionate and gentle. “She’s beautiful, she’s a beautiful colour and she’s super smart,” said Killins.