Boy With Autism Has Difficulty Showing Affection, Then Family Adopts Kitten – ryan

A 4-year-old boy’s life was changed when his family decided to adopt a Pittsburgh shelter kitten.

Kai, who was diagnosed with level 2 nonverbal autism, had long struggled to show affection, connect emotionally, and communicate his needs. But everything changed the day Boo came into his life.

Parents Erin and Mark decided to adopt the gray kitten on the suggestion of their son’s occupational therapist, who had worked with children on the spectrum, encouraging them to be gentle with pets.

“Kai’s behavioral therapist noticed that he had a difficult time showing empathy and thinking of others’ wants and needs,” Erin, 40, told Newsweek.

Far from being a surprise, Kai was fully involved in choosing his new pet. The family visited their local Pittsburgh animal shelter where Kai quietly connected with two kittens.

“We didn’t pick Boo at all; Boo picked Kai,” mom Erin said. “Boo got put down on the ground and ran to him; he jumped up on his lap.”

Since that day, Boo and Kai have been inseparable. In the months since the young cat joined the family—just before Halloween, Kai’s favorite holiday—the boy’s speech has progressed rapidly.

Kai now works with a speech therapist and pathologist weekly, and Erin and Mark have watched their son blossom.

“He used to get super-frustrated super easily,” Erin said. “Imagine knowing exactly what you want to say or what you need and not being able to find a way to get that across? He would withdraw. Since he’s made these developments, he is so much happier.”

Kai has also learned to be gentle, give hugs, and understand the emotional cues of those around him—especially Boo.

“They just get each other” Erin said. “They follow each other around and know when the other wants or needs something. Boo can be a feisty little thing with everyone else, but he lets Kai carry him around, hug him, kiss him, dress him. Basically, he just loves being around Kai and having him pay attention to him.”

Erin posted pictures of the pair on Reddit’s r/MadeMeSmile subreddit under the handle u/YasMysteries. At the time of writing, the post has received over 9,200 upvotes and more than 80 comments.

“This truly made me smile. Cats rule and I’m so glad this one picked your son,” one user wrote.

Another Reddit user works in special education where the school has two dogs.

“It’s so amazing to see how these kids open up to the dogs, how they become more confident because of them and how they become more independent because of the dogs,” the user wrote.

After being on Reddit for 16 years, Erin never expected the post to garner so much positive attention.

“In theory, it’s just a post that showing a cute kitten and a cute little dude being best freaking friends,” Erin said. “But then, with a little bit of the backstory on Kai being autistic included in the title, I think the post touched people in a different way.”