For most people, the 14 inches of snow that blanketed Campbell County, Virginia, was just a winter nuisance. But for 12 small cats left outside in the freezing cold, it was a fight for survival.
As daylight faded on December 12, a passerby spotted something strange — a metal crate poking out of a snowbank in the middle of nowhere. With no homes nearby, the sight immediately raised alarm.
Inside the crate, six cats huddled together, shivering. Even more heartbreaking — four tiny kittens lay outside in the snow, motionless.
When animal control officer Melissa Labryer arrived, she feared the worst. The kittens, only about 5 or 6 weeks old and weighing less than a pound each, looked lifeless in the white powder. Moving quickly, she placed all 12 freezing cats into carriers and rushed them to the nearest shelter.
“I need help! I have frozen cats and need volunteers at the shelter,” Labryer told a volunteer. Word spread fast. Within minutes, Friends of Campbell County Animal Control (FOCCAC) members were on their way, armed with towels, hot water bottles, and a crash course in hypothermia care.
A triage area was set up immediately. Volunteers began drying the cats, but the four snowbound kittens were dangerously cold and unresponsive. In a desperate effort to warm them, rescuers tucked the kittens inside their shirts against bare skin, alongside hot water bottles. Slowly, signs of life began to stir.
Thanks to the quick action of everyone involved, the once-frozen cats soon started grooming themselves, purring as if nothing had happened.
By the time the shelter closed that night, “the frozen 12” were safe. One has already been adopted, and three more — Frenchie, Ring, and Swan — are ready for their forever homes.
The four youngest kittens still face a long recovery, especially the tiniest one, a delicate black kitten with soulful eyes who remains fragile and in need of constant care.
When they’re healthy enough, they too will need loving families to keep them safe and warm — for good this time.
Anyone interested in adopting a member of “the frozen 12” can contact Friends of Campbell County Animal Control or Animal Emergency & Critical Care of Lynchburg.
