This ‘Kitten’ Had No Fur and Barely Moved — But It Turned Out to Be Something Much Rarer (3 of 3)

Under the guidance of a wildlife rehabilitation specialist, Fern was placed in a private sanctuary enclosure with other young foxes. At first, she stood apart—hairless and fragile—but slowly, her instincts kicked in.

“She started playing. Tugging leaves. Hiding food. Watching the others,” Melissa beamed. “That’s when we knew—she was going to be okay.”

And then the second miracle happened.

Weeks after her arrival, tiny tufts of reddish fur began to sprout along her spine. By week five, it had spread across her shoulders. By week eight, she was almost unrecognizable—a beautiful, copper-coated fox with intelligent, amber eyes and a tail that finally had the fluff it was meant for.

The team cried the first time they saw her run at full speed across the enclosure.

“She looked like she was flying,” one volunteer said. “From near death to this? It was like watching nature restart itself.”

Fern won’t return to the wild—her condition still requires monitoring—but she now serves a new role: as an ambassador for the rescue center, visiting schools and rehab facilities to teach kids about wildlife, resilience, and second chances.

“She was mistaken for something broken,” Melissa said. “But she turned out to be something extraordinary.”

And to think—it all started because one woman peeked under her porch and didn’t look away.