Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (Sept. 18, 2025) – Two kittens who were found zip-tied together in a shopping cart at the start of summer have made amazing recoveries and are ready to find their forever families.
PHOTOS, BRoll, and an Interview with our Animal Care Manager: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CqO1DLOMns7T-MvEuW7i0ryXXMvFBEkb?usp=sharing
Frodo and Sam – as the now four-month-old kitties are called – were found zip-tied together in a shopping cart in Riverside County in late May of this year. A good samaritan discovered them and, horrified by the condition they were in, knew the small kittens required urgent medical care. They rushed them to Helen Woodward Animal Center where the two frail kittens were given emergency treatment by the Center’s premier medical staff. The survival chances for the two looked slim. Yet, despite their grim start to life and a summer full of challenges, the pair persevered and have made full recoveries. Tomorrow morning, Friday, September 19, the Center will make the brothers available for adoption.
Frodo and Sam are the only two surviving members of a litter of three-day old kittens that were discovered zip-tied together and abandoned in a shopping cart. One of their siblings had already passed by the time the Good Samaritan found them; and two other siblings succumbed to their injuries shortly after, while being taken to safety. When the Center’s veterinary team first saw Frodo’s gnarled back left foot, and learned neither of the infant kittens had eaten in over six hours, they prepared for the worst.
However, Frodo and Sam possessed a voracious appetite for life. The brothers took to bottle feeding immediately, alleviating the medical team’s immediate anxieties. After eating a hearty ‘second breakfast’, and in spite of the dead tissue devouring his foot, Frodo appeared to have plenty of energy. The Center’s foster team then lit the beacons, calling for the aid of a volunteer who could take them in and provide the pair with round-the-clock care and feedings.
“Finding someone who could care for them 24/7 was so important for their survival,” said Kendall Schulz, Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Adoptions Director. “We are unbelievably grateful to have the dedicated community of fosters we have, and were able to find someone on such short notice.”
The brothers spent the next several months growing up in a foster home where they could recover in a low stress environment. While the worst was behind them, the pair still faced several challenges ahead.
For one, Frodo’s leg was so severely damaged by the zip-tie it had deteriorated beyond saving. The injury caused extensive tissue death, and while the infection thankfully hadn’t spread, it became clear the kitten’s leg would need to be amputated. However, he was too small for surgery at that time. So back to foster care he went until he grew big enough for the medical team to go forth with the surgery.
The next roadblock the two had to overcome came in the form of a brush with Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). This infectious disease severely compromises a cat’s immune system, among many other dreadful things, making them more susceptible to highly lethal diseases. Frodo had tested positive the week before his amputation while his brother tested negative. This irregularity turned out to be a dose of fortune for the duo, as FeLV is spread through licking. If Frodo genuinely had the virus, Sam would test positive too. A week later, Frodo tested negative for the illness, proving it was a false positive all along.
Finally, the time came for Frodo’s amputation. Removing a pet’s limb is a monumental procedure. Frodo would need weeks to recover in the comfort of his personal Shire (his foster’s home). During that time, Sam stood by his brother’s side, offering support in the form of grooming, cuddles, and playtime.
As their unexpected journey across the longest summer of their lives comes down to the home stretch, Frodo and Sam are ready to find their forever home. Those interested in taking these spunky, playful orange tabbies into your Hobbit-hole are encouraged to visit Helen Woodward Animal Center tomorrow, September 19. Most importantly, Frodo and Sam must be adopted together. The Center operates on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to arrive early!
“These little guys really went ‘there and back again’ together,” Schulz said. “We’re excited to see what the future holds for them.”
Frodo and Sam will go available for adoption Friday, September 19. The two kittens are a bonded pair which requires they be adopted together. Every cat adopted from Helen Woodward Animal Center is required to be kept indoors only, and not be declawed.
For more information about Frodo and Sam, or their journey, please contact the Adoptions Department at: 858-756-4117 ext. 1, visit https://animalcenter.org or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.
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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: https://animalcenter.org.
