A Birthday Gift Named Tigger: A Kitten Joins the Family

We got our son a kitten for his 3rd birthday — a beautiful white kitten with light grey stripes and striking shock-blue eyes. We named him Tigger. From the beginning, our son and Tigger became inseparable. They played together constantly, and our son even helped feed him.

The Measles Strikes: Illness and Challenge

About nine months later, our son came down with measles. Within days, the rash appeared and his fever climbed to 103–104°F. He struggled to breathe and became dehydrated. We had to visit the hospital daily for treatments and monitoring, and he endured ice baths to help control his dangerously high fever.

Home Care and Comfort: Recovery at Home

Once he returned home, we kept him comfortable in light pajamas, encouraged him to stay hydrated, and gave him cool (not cold) baths to ease the pain from his rash. We applied calamine lotion, gave him fever reducers, and watched his temperature carefully. We took turns sitting by him, comforted and scared at the same time.

Movies and Distraction: Finding Joy in The Bunny Picnic

To help pass the time, we got him two videos: An American Tail and The Bunny Picnic by Jim Henson. To our surprise, he chose The Bunny Picnic over and over again — he must have watched it 30 times during his illness! Both films were excellent, but there was something about The Bunny Picnic that spoke to him.

Tigger’s Loyalty: A Cat’s Comfort

Tigger never left his side. He would perch on the arm of the couch, gently brushing his tail across our son’s face or curling up in his lap. He followed him to the bathroom during baths and stayed nearby throughout. We even brought Tigger’s food and water into the living room so he could remain with our son during this tough time.

The Story of The Bunny Picnic: A Tale of Courage

The Bunny Picnic tells the story of Bean, the littlest bunny in the warren, who lived in the shadow of his older brother Lugsy. When their warren was threatened by a farmer and his dog, it was Bean who came up with a clever plan to build a giant hedgehog to scare them away.

The plan worked at first, but when it fell apart, the bunnies scrambled for safety. Bean later discovered that the dog didn’t truly want to hurt them — he actually wanted to be their friend but was scared of the farmer.

In the climactic scene, as the hedgehog disguise failed, Bean stood alone in front of the farmer and began to sing a song — a song my son sang along with, over and over again, while recovering on the couch:

The Song from The Bunny Picnic: Words of Inspiration

When you stand all alone,
And you feel the weight of zero in your bones,
When the wrong just goes on,
And the fight is like a night without a dawn,
There's a voice you will hear,
It will tell you what is right in spite of fear,
And the voice is a drum,
It will lead you to your courage,
It will tell your friends to come

The farmer’s secret was revealed — he was afraid of the bunnies because he was allergic to them. In the end, Bean’s courage inspired the whole warren to stand up together.

A Symbol of Strength: A Bond Between Cat and Child

For my son, this scene became a symbol of courage and determination during a difficult illness. Tigger’s loyal companionship and the comfort of this sweet, whimsical film helped him persevere through that frightening time.

Tigger and my son shared many more adventures after that — but I will always treasure the way that little kitten provided such comfort when it was needed most.

Thank you for reading! If this story warmed your heart, we invite you to visit jspetshop for thoughtfully selected supplies to help care for your feline companions and keep them happy and healthy.