Earlier this month, a tiny kitten managed to make a big impression at Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) in California — long before anyone even knew he was there.
Staff discovered the little stowaway one evening as they were closing up. He’d somehow slipped into the shelter’s laundry room and was quietly hiding out among the towels.
“We’re located in a pretty industrial area,” Jules Hooper, marketing specialist at VCAS, told The Dodo. “Sometimes community cats wander onto our property and hide out.”
The shy kitten evaded capture that night, but he couldn’t resist the food the staff left for him. By morning, he was safely caught in a humane trap and brought to the vet team for a checkup.
That’s when everyone noticed something extraordinary — his eyes.
The 4-month-old kitten’s eyes were so large and round that staff couldn’t help but give him the most fitting name imaginable: Owl.
When VCAS posted his photo on their website, the internet couldn’t get enough. Messages poured in asking if the picture was real.
“Are his eyes really that big?” people wanted to know.
To prove it, the shelter shared more photos and even a video of Owl on Instagram — and followers instantly fell in love.
Comments compared him to “a Tim Burton character,” “a lemur,” even “Gollum with better lighting.” One fan joked that Owl’s eyes were so big “he can probably see into the future.”
VCAS’ veterinary team examined Owl carefully and found that, while his eyes are definitely on the larger side, they’re perfectly healthy.
“[His eyes] may need treatment down the line,” Hooper said, “but for now he’s a happy little kitty.”
And soon, Owl’s wide-eyed wonder found a forever home.
Lilliana B., a VCAS supporter, said she “fell in love immediately” when she saw Owl’s photo. “The minute we saw him, we just had to have him,” she said. “I mean, look at him!”
Lilliana arrived early the next morning, determined to meet him in person. Though timid at first, the kitten melted into her arms when she picked him up.
That same day, Owl — now renamed Bobble — went home with her.
“Bobble is starting to come out of his shell every day,” Lilliana said. “At night he’s playful and cheeky, and he loves interacting with our other cats.”
After his burst of online fame, Bobble is now enjoying a quieter life — exploring, napping, and charming everyone who meets him.
Whether or not he ever gets his own Instagram account, one thing’s for sure: his future looks bright, and his heart is every bit as big as his eyes.
As one commenter put it perfectly:
“Wide eyes, big heart — can’t lose.”
If you want to support Ventura County Animal Services, you can donate via their website.
