Meet Snowflake: The Shy Rescue Kitten Who Learned to Trust Again

This is the story of Snowflake, the shy rescue kitten who learned to trust again.

When Twilight was just three months old, she had never been outside — I was living in a flat at the time, and I realised she needed a companion. Without another cat around, she was starting to act more like a tiny human than a feline. That’s when I answered an ad for kittens.

When I arrived, there were at least four litters crammed into one room, with only two (very dirty) litter boxes between them. Most of the kittens were frightened and shied away when I reached out. My heart sank — but I knew I had to take one home. That’s how Snowflake came into our lives.

How a Shy Rescue Kitten Learned to Trust

For the first week, he hid under a bookshelf in my spare room. By then, Twilight had claimed my bedroom (of course!), so Snowflake had his own safe little corner. It took nearly a year before I could stroke him without him shying away. To this day, he isn’t a lap cat and still startles sometimes, but we’ve built trust together. He lets me touch his paws and tummy, enjoys being brushed, and in the winter, he even curls up at the end of my bed by my feet.

The Challenges Snowflake Faced

And when he does feel brave enough to ask for love? Snowflake has a signature move — he flops onto his back, paws waving, making biscuits in the air while he waits for attention. It’s his way of saying, “I trust you.”

Small Steps Toward Confidence

When they were both about six months old, we moved into my own place — still a flat, but this time with a tiny garden. Snowflake decided the brand-new carpets were the perfect scratching posts. I, however, did not agree.

So I bought four cardboard scratchers and came up with a ritual: every time he scratched the carpet, I’d gently pick him up, place him on a scratcher, give him a treat, and say, “Good boy!” Before long, he was trotting from scratcher to scratcher in the evenings, pausing expectantly for his treat and praise. Snowflake had cracked the system — and earned his reputation as the household treat enthusiast.

From shy kitten to “good boy” scratcher champ, Snowflake may never be the cuddliest lap cat, but he’s carved out his own special place in my heart.

A Happy Ending for a Shy Rescue Kitten

Today, Snowflake is a completely different cat. He greets visitors at the door, cuddles on the sofa, and even helps me type by walking across the keyboard (usually mid-email!). It’s a beautiful reminder that patience and love can help even the shyest rescue kitten learn to trust again.

Want to know how Snowflake’s sister became part of the Whiskernest family? Read Twilight’s story here