When one little kitten was brought into a rescue shelter, she was so small she was barely the size of a spoon. The shelter was immediately worried and decided to try and figure out what the problem could be. As soon as they discovered what the issue was the shelter worked hard to help improve this adorable tiny kitten’s life. You won’t believe what a difference it made!

20. Francis

Meet Francis, an adorable and quite tiny kitten. At just three weeks old, Francis weighed around four ounces (113 grams). This was pretty alarming, as that is the typical size of a newborn kitten.

19. Shelter Kitten

Francis was living in a shelter and shelter employees quickly noticed that there was something wrong. The tiny kitten was barely bigger than a pho spoon. They knew they had to get some medical help.

18. Cat Clinic

Shelter staff decided that it was finally time to get the cat to a vet’s office. They brought little Francis to NOVA Cat Clinic. That’s how Francis first met his new foster mother.

17. Foster Mom

Ellen Carozza, Feline Licensed Veterinary Technician, immediately fell in love with Francis when she saw him. She knew that she wanted to be the one to foster him until he was big enough to be adopted. She quickly took him home with her!

16. Special Care

Ellen knew immediately that Francis was in need of special care. His head was far larger than his body and he was the smallest kitten out of all of his siblings. “His siblings weighed in at 10 ounces and more, but he was just four ounces,” Ellen told Love Meow.

15. Running Tests

The clinic decided to run a few tests on Francis to see what the problem could be. They quickly discovered that Francis had a heart murmur and that he was also losing hair. With this prognosis, they decided to run a few more tests to see what the issue could be.

14. Small Size, Big Personality

Despite his small size, Francis had a pretty big personality. He loved to eat and had a hearty appetite. He also loved to purr loudly whenever he wanted Ellen to pick him up and give him a few cuddles.

13. Bottle Fed

However, since he was so tiny, Francis required around-the-clock bottle feedings. Ellen would make sure to stay on top of his feedings so that Francis could get bigger and healthier. Whenever Francis wasn’t eating, however, he would be cuddled up with Ellen.

12. Resident Cat

Ellen also happened to have a resident cat named Benny. Benny and Francis clicked immediately! You won’t believe what role Benny took on when he first met Francis.

11. Foster Dad

Benny immediately took on the role of foster dad to Francis. After Francis would have his meal, Benny would pull him in and give him a nice, soothing bath. Benny also helped teach Francis to use the litter box and was there when Francis finally started to eat solid foods.

10. Big Milestones

It was a huge milestone when Francis finally ate his first solid foods. Benny was, of course, right there next to him to encourage the sweet little cat. Francis managed to gulp it all down without a problem!

9. The Diagnosis

After running various tests on little Francis, doctors managed to come up with a diagnosis. “After speaking to several specialists, he is not hypothyroid due to confirmed additional tests but may have a growth hormone deficiency,” Ellen said. “He has multiple issues we are working on, not just him being small.”

8. Six Weeks Old

At six weeks old, Francis is around the size of a 3-week-old kitten. Although he is very small for his age, Francis continues to prevail through it all. It is obvious that Francis is a fighter who intends to live!

7. Little Fighter

“The weekly weigh-in at 0.755 pounds…most of it is belly,” Ellen wrote. Francis has proven to be quite a strong kitten and has continued to shock everyone around him. Luckily, Francis was brought into a clinic that helps small fighters like Francis survive.

6. Helping Out

NOVA Cat Clinic’s foundation, The Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation (CGMFF),  work hard to help out kittens like Francis. Without their help, there’s no telling what condition Francis would be in now. Soon enough, Francis was ready to be adopted!

5. Perfect Match

Soon enough, Francis was paired up with the most perfect family! One of Ellen’s family members fell in love with Francis and knew they wanted to adopt him. At 8-weeks-old, Francis is doing fantastic.

4. Getting Bigger

Despite his condition, Francis has been growing nicely. He is a big boy now and he is more excited than ever to join his new family. Just look at that face!

3. One Week

In just one week, Francis will be joining his new family. The once tiny kitten has truly proven himself against the odds of the condition. He looks amazing and you’d never guess that there was once a time when he was the size of a spoon.

2. So Happy

Ellen is so happy that she decided to take Francis in and foster him. Thanks to her dedication, Francis has managed to grow up beautifully. He is quite the handsome cat now.

1. Great Family

Although things started off rough for Francis, things are only going to get better from now on. Soon he’ll be a part of a loving new family that will care for him forever! Talk about a real lucky cat.