We all swoon over adorable photos of cats and dogs together, playing with no regards to “societies” conflicting personality traits. It certainly invokes you to think about the differences in being raised in a nature vs. nurture environment. And one rescue in Houston, TX, is using this nurturing technique to foster kittens with much larger pups, primarily Border Collies. In 2023, the Border Kitty Rescue was created and they certainly have an adorable unofficial spokes-kitty named Gingerbread.
Leave it to a ginger cat to lead a life based on nothing we expected. But as usual, its a silly, wonderful and inspiring life. And he and his mixed family, BB the deaf Border Collie & Phoebe the kitten nanny, are using his fame to help “paw it forward” to other needy animals. Because both pups were also rescues off the streets who found healing through love and patience.
Before he was Gingerbread the PuppyCat
Gingerbread began his life with the name Sunny Bear and a brother named Smokey Bear. They arrived at the rescue when they were about 5 weeks old, my favorite age to foster kittens. They are just starting to wobble and play like mini cats and their little potato bellies start to match their fluffy bodies. 
There was just something about the ginger nugget that they couldn’t shake. Almost if he had chosen them and it was just a matter of time until they accepted it.
Within a week of getting Sunny and Smokey, I confessed on my page “I have a crush on one of the kittens”. I didn’t want to publicly say who it was, as that could affect people who want to apply to adopt him. I couldn’t explain what it was about him, but somehow, Sunny put a spell on me. I’d come out of the bedroom, he’d be standing with the rest of the gang, looking all cute and innocent. Our eyes would meet, and I’d pause for a second. Then, he does his special slow blink…. I sigh and melt inside. At this point, we had no plan to keep any of the fosters, especially the Bears, who I originally thought were somewhat bonded.
Sunny has the most endearing eyes I’ve ever seen on a kitty. When he looked at me with his innocent blue eyes, I couldn’t help but feel warm and tingly inside. And he looked at me a lot.
Knowing what he would say, I told my husband so many times, “Maybe he should stay; I just love him.” He’d come back with, “You say that about every kitten.”
“He’s different.”
For many foster families, including the Cole and Marmalade one, wrestling with the desire to “foster fail” is always difficult. But when it’s meant to be, you eventually accept it. And Gingerbread’s wise foster mom knew it was an important decision that must be considered from all angles. You can read her entire educated internal debate here.
I want to do the right thing for Sunny and everyone involved. Would he be happy with us as a solo? Would he be a good mentor to other kittens? Is he going to enjoy training and outing? Because, that’s what his life would be if he stays.
I started testing him. He came with us every time my pups and I went out. He rode in my car while attached to a seatbelt. It took him some time to get completely comfortable with that. He went to our field and hung out while the girls played frisbee. In the house, I separated him from the other kittens for a few hours to see how he would react.
Sunny fell asleep on top of the cat tree by himself, and no stress was detected. None of my foster kittens sleeps with us in the bedroom so BB won’t be startled. I wanted to see how Sunny would act in our bedroom, so I tested him during the day without BB. I lay in bed and waited. Will he want to play? Will he cry for his friends? Sunny walked up to my chest, rubbed his face on my chin, licked my mouth with his spiky tongue, curled up on my neck, and fell asleep. There was no way I was going to move him, so I ended up taking a short nap with him. He stayed on my neck the entire time. I was in awe….
Since that day, he has been sleeping with us every night, mostly on my chest or on my hair. No issues with BB.
But Sunny/Gingerbread wasn’t going anywhere.
Now the trio has their mission and Gingerbread has his own social media following. And in the two years since the organization was founded, they have adopted out more than 35 kittens! That’s amazing for any rescue that only fosters a few cats at a time. Congrats! Every saved soul deserves to find their furever home. 
For any of the kittens raised with pups, it’s going to be easier to find a home with mixed animals that all get along too. If you can help animals form a bond like these three siblings, life is better for everyone!
Now, Gingerbread spends his life going on adventures with the family and helping out with foster kittens. He’s become quite the loving and attentive feline foster dad to the babies, showing them how to be the best puppycats they can be.
With the help of his larger pup siblings, they are gaining well deserved recognition all across the pet world. Congratulations to them all and thank you for continuing to help other homeless and needy animals!
Be sure to follow them on Facebook , Instagram, and their website @Bordernerd.com
All photos & videos property of Bordernerd/Border Kitty Rescue.
