A kitten that nearly froze to death when it was found outside in the Denver cold suffering from hypothermia Thursday, was rescued by a family who spotted her and rushed her to the Denver Dumb Friends League.
The 3 or 4-month-old old kitten was brought to the shelter by a family who found it outside in their yard, according to Dumb Friends League spokesperson Megan Rees.
Unsure whether the kitten was still alive, the family put her on a heating pad and brought her to the Dumb Friends League facility for treatment.
When the kitten arrived, her temperature would not register on the thermometer and she was unresponsive, Rees said.
Veterinary staff placed her in a bed of heating pads and warming bottles and administered warm IV fluids to get her temperature up.
Vets also used a hair dryer to help keep her warm.
After more than an hour of treatment, the kitten finally began to perk up and vets were able to stabilize her temperature and feed her some food.
The kitten, which was named Elsa by veterinary staff, based on the Disney "Frozen" character, is doing well now and is expected to make a full recovery, Rees said.
Elsa will eventually go up for adoption once she is healthy enough.
Rees said the Dumb Friends League has seen an increase in lost cats being brought to the shelter with the cold weather. If someone is concerned about a cat that is left outside, they are encouraged to bring it to their nearest animal shelter.
