This tiny calico kitty is named Hazel, and she has faced challenges since the day she was born – born as a preemie, she was the only kitten to survive from the litter. Katerina Gvozdova from CatRescue901 in South Wales, Australia, recently learned about a litter of kittens nearby her home. The mother cat gave birth prematurely, with two kittens stillborn and the others in grave danger. Due to the traumatic birth, the mother cat refused to nurse the kittens, so the two remaining ones were brought to Katerina. She immediately rushed them to the vet, where one of them died in just a few minutes.

Hazel, however, decided not to give up. “She weighed less than 80 gr.,” says Katerina, “and I had to feed her every few hours not knowing if she would survive.”

After a few days, the tiny kitten was already fighting an umbilical infection. Katerina worked non-stop to save her, but for the next couple of weeks, she wasn’t sure of her chances. The kitten had what’s known as fading kitten syndrome, and Katerina took her to the vet.

Still, Hazel refused to give up. Katerina’s love for the kitten surely helped her survive. She says that she loves seeing Hazel fall asleep in her hands. Even with all the stress, Katerina was adamant about keeping Hazel alive.

After a couple of weeks, the calico kitten’s condition improved, and she began growing. “The little diva pulled through with lots of love from me and my partner,” Katerina says with a smile.

As Hazel continues to grow, she’s becoming even more adorable. She is now 5 weeks old and cuter than ever! One of her favorite habits is snuggling up with her mom until she falls asleep. Such a cutie!