A young boy with autism has found a new way to connect with the world—thanks to an unexpected friendship with a shelter kitten.
Four-year-old Kai, who has level 2 nonverbal autism, had difficulty expressing affection, communicating his needs, and connecting emotionally. That changed when his family adopted Boo, a gray kitten from a Pittsburgh animal shelter.
Kai’s parents, Erin and Mark, were encouraged by his occupational therapist to consider adopting a pet. The therapist had seen how animals could help children on the autism spectrum learn empathy and develop social skills.
“Kai’s behavioral therapist noticed he struggled with empathy and understanding others’ needs,” Erin told Newsweek. At the shelter, Kai quietly bonded with two kittens. One of them, Boo, made the first move.
“We didn’t pick Boo. Boo picked Kai,” Erin said. “The moment Boo was placed on the ground, he ran straight to Kai and jumped into his lap.”
Since then, the two have been inseparable. Boo joined the family just before Halloween—Kai’s favorite holiday—and in the months since, the boy’s speech and emotional development have made remarkable progress.
Kai now sees a speech therapist and pathologist every week. His parents say he is happier and less frustrated.
“Before, he would withdraw when he couldn’t communicate,” Erin explained. “Now that he’s made progress, he’s more at ease.”
Boo has helped Kai learn to give hugs, be gentle, and read emotional cues. The bond between them is clear.
“They just get each other,” Erin said. “Boo follows Kai around and seems to understand what he needs. He’s usually feisty with others but lets Kai carry him, hug him, dress him, and cuddle him.”
Erin shared their story on Reddit’s r/MadeMeSmile subreddit under the handle u/YasMysteries. The post quickly went viral, earning over 9,200 upvotes and dozens of comments.
“This truly made me smile. Cats rule and I’m so glad this one picked your son,” one commenter wrote.
Another user, who works in special education, shared how animals help students build confidence and independence.
Though Erin has used Reddit for 16 years, she didn’t expect the post to resonate so widely.
“It’s just a post showing a cute kitten and a sweet little boy being best friends,” she said. “But when people read that Kai is autistic, I think it touched them in a deeper way.”
