Almost every kid fantasizes about going on fun adventures with their favorite stuffed animal. 

I know I always have! My beloved teddy bear and I have experienced the wonders of the world – from the confines of my childhood room, of course.

For Mila Sano from Seattle, those fantasies came to life when her parents adopted two adorable cats who look just like her stuffed animals!

Mila’s mom, Molly, says Mila has been cat-crazy for as long as anyone can remember. 

A family trip to Costa Rica only fueled her passion, as Mila made it her mission to befriend every stray cat in sight, wishing she could bring them all home. 

But, as you can imagine, her parents were a bit overwhelmed at the thought of adding a dozen cats to their family dynamic.

Seeing their granddaughter’s wish unfulfilled, Mila’s grandparents came up with a heartwarming solution. 

They gifted her two stuffed cats, one Siamese and the other gray, which quickly became Mila’s inseparable companions, sparking endless hours of imaginative play.

Mila dove headfirst into pretending she was the CEO of her own cat-sitting business, complete with homemade business cards and a marketing plan. 

Her dedication to her stuffed cats showed her parents she was ready for the responsibility of real pets.

So, Mila’s parents decided it was time for some furry additions to the family. Molly explained:

“We knew that if we got one cat, we really needed to get two. So, we decided to find ones that would match her kitties.”

Since they couldn’t find cats that closely resembled her favorite toys back in Seattle, Molly and her husband Chris went on an extensive search and found the perfect pair on the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary website. 

The cats they decided on looked just like Mila’s toys: a beautiful blue point Siamese and an adorable little gray kitty.

Once they arranged everything, it was time to bring the kitties home and show them to Mila and her brother Bennett. 

It’s safe to say they both were surprised and excited beyond words with happy tears all over their faces. 

But the happiest was by far Mila, who suddenly got real-life versions of her favorite stuffed animals in her lap, purring their little hearts away. It was a dream come true!

After naming them Niko and Kiko, Mila wasted no time introducing her new cats to their stuffed lookalikes. 

Molly observed that Niko and Kiko seemed to recognize their plush counterparts, often cuddling up to them. 

Interestingly, Niko and Kiko hadn’t met before joining the Sano family but quickly became inseparable as if they’d known each other their entire lives. 

They spent every second of the day together and got along pretty well. As Molly pointed out:

“It looks like they’ve been together their whole lives. They’re totally inseparable.”

The adorable felines, along with the two plush toys, made their way into the hearts of the entire family. Not only do Mila and Bennett play with them, but Molly and Chris steal a snuggle or two every now and then.

But the one who gets to enjoy their company the most is definitely Mila. For the longest time, she couldn’t even believe she had cats. As she jokingly shared one time:

“I can’t actually believe this really happened. I keep looking in the refrigerator, and I’ll see the cat food, and I’m like ‘Do I really have cats?’”

It’s a happy ending for everyone: Mila’s dream came true, and Niko and Kiko found their forever home with a family that adores them. 

Want to see Mila’s heart-melting reaction to meeting Niko and Kiko for the first time? Head over to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary website for the cutest video you’ll see today. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it.