Megyn Scott-Hintz first met Garfield at her local animal hospital a few weeks ago. After finding the 5-week-old stray outdoors alone, a Good Samaritan left him off.

Scott-Hintz realized she had to take in the frail orange cat that needed a foster home. “He was flea-infested, ear mite-infested, and skin and bones,” Scott-Hintz told The Dodo.

Garfield was remarkably peaceful and easy back when she took him home. “He was clearly quite friendly with humans,” Scott-Hintz said, adding that most outdoor kittens at that age are still hissy and wild. “At that moment, he seemed to have no trouble with humans — no fear of anything.”

Garfield found solace wherever he could and quickly became friends with Captain Pickles, Scott-senior Hintz’s semi-feral porch cat. “One night, Pickles came in for some dinner and observed [Garfield],” Scott-Hintz explained. “As soon as Pickles sat down on the couch, Garfield ran up to him and smelled his nose, and that was the end of it.”

Pickles had never really taken an interest in any of Scott-Hintz’s other fosters, but he quickly became Garfield’s most loyal protector. “It takes a lot for [Pickles] to want to come inside, so it was surprising that he actually wanted to come in and hang out with Garfield,” Scott-Hintz said. “He’s seeking Garfield out, which is extra sweet.”

Garfield turned out to have more health issues than Scott-Hintz first realized, and soon found himself back at the emergency vet.

After a difficult few days, Garfield returned home, and Pickles was overjoyed to see his baby again.

“Pickles groomed him brilliantly as soon as he returned,” Scott-Hintz stated. ‘You have to become clean,’ he said. You’re revolting.’ Pickles would try to bite me if I tried to convince him to stop grooming him. ‘Don’t touch the baby,’ he said. Get the hell away from him. ‘I know exactly what I’m doing.’

“I’m curious whether Pickles sensed something was wrong with Garfield,” she continued.

As Garfield’s health continued to waver, Pickles’ attention never did. Pickles comforted Garfield through his health scares until, finally, it seemed the tiny kitten was on the mend.

“Now that Garfield is doing better, I can tell that Pickles wants to be near him, but he’s more relaxed about the situation,” Scott-Hintz said. “He’s not guarding him so closely.”

Scott-Hintz is optimistic about their future, especially after seeing Garfield begin to groom Pickles in return.

“I’m hopeful Garfield will make a full recovery and find a lovely adoptive family,” says the author “According to Scott-Hintz. “I also hope that Pickles may be forced inside and educate Garfield on how to be a normal cat.”