An "extremely rare" male calico kitten that showed up at a Loveland shelter in April, made national news and drew in hundreds of interested adopters found his fur-ever home.
Why he matters: Calico cats are almost always female, so the odds of coming across a male kitten - and one born in Colorado, to top it off - are super slim.
Driving the news: Denver resident Kate Crandall - whose 13-year-old female calico cat, Rocky, died suddenly in December - was recently selected by foster-focused rescue NoCo Kitties as Gumbo's lucky adopter.
Yes, but: There was a catch. While at NoCo Kitties, Gumbo (Bo) became "best friends" with his foster brother Beignet (Benny). And they couldn't be adopted separately.
What she's saying: After the shelter sent a photo of the two embracing in a hug, "I was literally like, 'Yeah, OK, done. Duh.' And I immediately sent in all caps: 'OF COURSE,'" she told us.
The intrigue: Crandall hadn't met the kittens before adopting them. "It was just seeing a picture, trusting the process, and knowing that if it was meant to be it would be," she said.
Of note: The shelter received bids for thousands of dollars from across the world but ultimately limited applications to state residents, putting preference on the best home over the top offer, the Coloradoan reports.
What sealed the deal: Shelter staff interviewed Crandall's veterinarian and learned she had been having continued conversations about how, if at all, she could have improved care for her previous cat Rocky.
What's next: Bo and Benny have big plans to become Colorado "adventure cats." Right now, they're visiting coffee shops in their carriers to get acclimated to people, and working on leash training at home.
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