Following his humble origins in a shed in Weld County, Loveland’s beloved “unicorn kitten” is finally moving into his forever home. Unicorn, a unique male calico kitten born earlier this year, found his way into the care of Loveland’s NoCo Kitties rescue after starting his life in less-than-ideal circumstances. Known as Charlie Unicorn by those who have fallen in love with him, this rare kitten became a local celebrity after an article in The Coloradoan brought his story to light in late-April. The response was overwhelming, with over 400 adoption applications flooding into the rescue, proving that Unicorn’s story has captured the hearts of people across the country. Now, this special kitten is officially off to start his next chapter in a loving forever home.
Typically, around two to three adoption applications are received for each kitten at the rescue, according to Dupont, who spoke to the Coloradoan recently. People from various states like Florida, Nova Scotia, California, and Texas showed interest, but NoCo Kitties ultimately decided to limit applications to Colorado residents. Eventually, Kate Crandall, a Denver resident, was chosen as the lucky adopter after learning about Unicorn’s story on 9News. Crandall had recently lost her 13-year-old female calico cat, Rocky, and was specifically looking for a male cat this time. Given that male calico cats are quite rare, with only one in every 3,000 calico births according to Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, Crandall had her heart set on adopting a male orange kitten. However, when she came across Unicorn’s story, she couldn’t resist applying for another calico.
“When I mentioned that if things were meant to be, my late cat Rocky would have a hand in it,” Crandall said, reflecting on the situation. “I truly believe that these furry companions are somehow destined to be with us.”
Everything fell into place for Crandall. As she moved forward with the adoption process, she discovered that Unicorn had formed a bond with Cooper, a playful 3-month-old orange kitten who had been fostered alongside Unicorn after his siblings found homes.
When Crandall was asked if she would consider adopting both Unicorn and Cooper as a pair, she didn’t hesitate to say yes.
“Of course,” she replied with certainty.
Despite the high demand for Unicorn – “we had offers of thousands of dollars for him,” mentioned Dupont – NoCo Kitties prioritized finding the best home for him, not the highest bidder, as shared with the Coloradoan. As a result, the adoption fee for both Unicorn and Cooper was higher than the standard $195 for kittens, totaling around $750, according to Dupont.
The NoCo Kitties rescue organized a successful fundraiser during Unicorn’s adoption, raising $2,500 to support the rescue’s operations as they continue working on completing the Meow Mansion, which is their first physical location on Loveland’s West Eisenhower Boulevard. Despite some remaining tasks at the new shelter, the house-turned-shelter has quickly become the go-to place for new cat or kitten owners picking up their feline companions from NoCo Kitties. Recently, Crandall arrived at the shelter with her cat carrier to pick up Cooper and Unicorn, who wasted no time running around and exploring the back room with other furry friends. After some cuddles and goodbyes, the trio set off for their new home, excited to start their lives together.
