Abbott and Costello’s Story

From Blount County Humane Society in Maryville, Tennesee

Back in August, gray tabby kittens Abbott and Costello were discovered covered in “Good Stuff,” foam in a spray bottle used for insulation. BCHS shared the jaw-dropping story on their Facebook page:

“These two kittens were found Friday night by a Good Samaritan on the road behind K-Mart in Alcoa about 9:30 p.m. They were covered in a product called Good Stuff used to insulate gaps around windows and doors. We believe [the kittens] were set at this location by someone after [that person] put this product on the kittens. As you can see, one kitten had his head completely covered; he was unable to see and was found in the middle of the road going in circles. The other kitten was immobile because he was stuck inside a Pampers diaper box on the side of the road.”

“Both kittens were brought to Midland Pet Emergency Center and were treated by the dedicated staff there and by some of our BCHS volunteers. We were called by Midland Pet Emergency to start the investigation that will hopefully lead to a prosecution of the individuals responsible for this act of cruelty…”

According to WATE TV 6, it took technicians 3 hours to painstakingly remove the sticky substance from the kittens. They shaved off two full bags of fur.

The kittens’ story garnered much publicity and outraged the community. How could someone be so cruel? Thousands of people shared their story on Facebook, which led to many much-needed donations for the kittens’ care.

Staff and volunteers at BCHS cared the kittens, nicknamed the Foam Kitties, until October 11, 2015, when Abbott and Costello finally got their happy ending.
From BCHS:

“A wonderful couple felt their hearts break when they read their story. They visited them a couple of times and then decided to make these babies their own. There was an instant connection between the boys and mom and dad. Abbott and Costello cannot get enough loving from mom and dad. Happy life boys!! We wait for updates on how happy you are!”

To date, no arrests have been made. It’s easy to lose faith when you see the cruelty of which human beings are capable. But the real “good stuff” in this story isn’t the foam insulation sprayed on the kittens. It’s the Good Samaritan who rescued them, the medical staff who saved them, the volunteers who cared for them, the donors who supported them and the couple who will love them forever.