They named her Elsa.
Last weekend, after a powerful snowstorm passed through the region, North Carolina resident Scott and his two kids decided to go hiking through the woods near their home. When they reached a remote spot, far from any homes, Scott’s daughter suggested they take a selfie.
“After taking it, my daughter said, ‘What’s that noise?’” Scott told The Dodo. “We all stopped to listen and heard high-pitched meowing, over and over.”
A short way off, the family spotted a few pieces of discarded metal — and realized the sound was coming from there.
Lifting up the scrap of metal, Scott could barely make out that a tiny kitten was huddling underneath.
“I got in close and saw her — so tiny, covered head to toe in ice, and my heart just sank,” Scott said. “I think we were having trouble seeing her because she was so covered in ice, she blended in with all of the snow and sleet around her.”
After unsticking the kitten’s frozen fur from the metal, Scott’s son removed his gloves to warm her with his hands.
She knew that she was finally safe.
“We walked home as quickly as we could,” Scott said. “I texted my wife on the way, so when we got home, she had some blankets and things ready.”
Once back at the house, the kitten was placed near a heating pad.
“It didn’t take long until she was warm and dry,” Scott said.
The little cat, who was later confirmed by a vet to be about 4 weeks old, quickly regained her strength with kitten formula and the newfound love of Scott and his family.
“She’s very healthy,” Scott said. “We just keep taking turns passing her around, cuddling her, petting her, feeding her and loving on her.”
They named her Elsa.
It isn’t known how Elsa came to be stranded all alone in that hard-to-reach place in the woods, but Scott believes it was divine intervention that carried him and the kids to that spot where her cries could be heard.
The family has since returned there, in case any other cats needed saving, but none were found.
“We’re just so thankful to God for leading us to her and allowing us to help her!” Scott said.
Since being rescued, Elsa is settling in well with her new forever family, who, up until then, hadn’t been planning on getting another cat.
In an instant on that snowy day she was found, everything changed.
“I just knew there was no way we were going to save this kitty, take her home, and then not keep her,” Scott said. “She is definitely a permanent part of our family. She is just the sweetest, cutest, littlest thing we’ve ever seen!”