Flora and Dexter made an unlikely pair, but their friendship was never affected by their obvious differences. Weighing around 100 pounds, Flora is a loving Alaskan Malamute who was rescued from Best Friends Animal Society, and her best friend Dexter was the cat she loved spending time with.
But when Dexter passed away at age 22, Flora was faced with an uncertain future. Flora loved Dexter so much, her well-being took a drastic decline when she realized she would never see her feline friend again. There was a cat-shaped hole in her heart, and the dog’s family thought they knew what to do.
The Williams family from Kanab, UT went back to Best Friends Animal Society to find a new friend for Flora. They adopted two young cats, and while Flora treated the new family members with kindness, there was no instant connection like there had been with Dexter. The cats weren’t interested in cuddling with the big dog, and Flora continued her slump into depression.
Desperate to help the rescue dog, the Williams family tried a different tactic. They went back to the shelter, but this time, they decided to think smaller. They came home with four foster kittens–Iggy, Bowie, Roxy, and Glamour. The adorable foursome was set up in one of the children’s bedrooms where they had plenty of toys and cat beds to make them feel at home. The children were more than happy to take on the role of a foster family, but they weren’t the only ones who wanted to help.
At first, Flora kept her distance and let the kittens get used to their new home. She was patient, and eventually, the bravest kitten decided to introduce himself. Williams said,
“Iggy was the first brave boy. He went right up to Flora and sniffed her nose. She gently brought her face down to meet his and got a huge smile on her face.”
After that initial meeting, the other three kittens gathered their courage and approached Flora, too. There were moments of hesitation, but Flora stayed perfectly calm and let the kittens come to her at their own pace. After a lot of sniffs and a few head butts, the kittens decided Flora was going to be their new foster mom. The best part about it was that Flora gladly accepted her new role.
Flora’s family now calls their dog the “kitten whisperer,” and they love watching the group play and interact. Flora takes her foster responsibilities seriously, and she’s helping the kittens learn about the world as they prepare to be adopted. Iggy, Bowie, Roxy, and Glamour won’t stay with Flora forever, but now that her family has realized her potential as a foster mom, Flora will always have someone to take care of.
The family plans on fostering more kittens when their current bunch moves on, and they’re confident their kitten whisperer will treat all the rest with the same love and attention. No cat could replace Dexter, but Flora is honoring her friend’s memory by helping rescue cats find their own best friends.
Toledo, United States.
