When I first saw a picture of this kitty, I thought for sure she had some kind of filter on. With her big round eyes, petite frame, and tongue cheekily sticking out, it seemed impossible she was real – it had to be a filter!

Boy, was I wrong! This little ball of fur is as real as you and me. Meet Benita, a dwarf feline with an incredible story to share!

When Maria, Benita’s owner, first found her, she was…well, shocked, to say the least. Benita was lost in an orchard at about two weeks old, with no mother or littermates in sight.

She was the sole survivor, severely malnourished – and incredibly tiny! Without a second thought, Maria rescued her, offering her a loving home and a shot at life. Expecting little, Maria was amazed at how Benita thrived under her care.

According to Maria, Benita was initially very shy and wary of her surroundings. Reflecting on their first days together in a YouTube video made by Cuddle Buddies, she recalls:

“When we brought her home, Benita was timid and confused. If you put her on the sofa, she would instantly jump off. She wandered around the house, not understanding where she was.”

But then one day, something clicked. Benita relaxed and embraced her new home, letting her quirky personality shine. 

Although this little fluffy lady was full of surprises, Maria found it fascinating that she didn’t grow much.

Time passed and Benita stayed basically the same size. That’s when Maria and her family realized their new feline was even more special than they thought – because she had dwarfism. 

But don’t let her size fool you! Maria soon realized that Benita is a cat who won’t let anything slow her down – especially not some lousy heritable condition. 

She has the energy of any other cat; she loves to play, chase toys around the house, leap onto Maria’s bed every morning to wake her up, and give pint-sized pounces because her legs are so short!

Maria often shares videos of Benita on TikTok, where she boasts 52.8k followers and over 5 million likes. People adore this unique-looking cat, showering her with love in the comments daily.

Who wouldn’t love her, really? Just look at her! She knows she is adorable, and she uses it to her advantage!

Beaming with pride when talking about her precious feline companion, Maria says:

“Benita is always looking for a chance to have fun. And despite how small she is, she can do pretty much anything a normal cat can do. However, when it comes to what’s most special about Benita, I would definitely say it’s her looks!”

Maria’s friends wholeheartedly agree and enjoy mimicking her, as seen in this video Maria shared on TikTok:

Maria says that Benita has been the greatest gift to her and her family, and I think that’s the sweetest and most accurate sentiment any pet parent can surely understand. 

If you liked this story, please let me know in the comments below. Also, make sure to follow Benita’s adventures on her TikTok and Instagram.