Toto The Tornado Kitten Grows Up And Inspires A Children's Book About His Amazing Survival Tale

After miraculously surviving a devastating tornado, the story of a tiny kitten continues to inspire in a new children's book, Mouse Breath! magazine reports.

Last June, after a violent tornado barreled through western Massachusetts, Toto, the tiniest of survivors, was found clinging onto a high branch of a tree in storm-battered Brimfield.

Weighing a diminutive 6 ounces, the kitten was the unlikeliest of survivors, NECN reports.

"We tried to feed him some milk but he wouldn’t drink it. It was pretty obvious he needed more care," paramedic Jonathan Hall, who helped rescue Toto, said. The kitten was clearly critically injured.

Thanks to the efforts of the Animal Rescue League of Boston, brave little Toto fought for his life and, incredibly, survived the massive tornado that killed one and destroyed over 140 homes.

The little survivor became a powerful beacon of encouragement.

"After what we saw out there, that kitten was like a symbol of hope," Brimfield Police Chief Dawn Charette told Mouse Breath!. "I saw guys -- I mean big, tough cops -- just break down when they saw that kitten.”

"We started thinking that if that cat would be OK, then maybe we’d all be OK, too," she added.

A year on, Toto is all grown up.

But the brave cat -- who has become quite the mini celebrity -- continues to inspire with his story of survival.

At the end of March, Hall -- whose wife adopted the kitten when he had recovered from his injuries -- published an illustrated children's book entitled "The Story Of Toto, The Tornado Kitten," Love Meow reports.

The book was illustrated by Carol Ruzicka and funded by Country Bank.

"My students were truly inspired by your story," wrote first grade teacher Allie Beane on Toto's Facebook page. "They loved Toto."

Full proceeds from the book's sales will be donated to the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

For more information or to purchase the book, visit Toto's website.

Watch a video on NECN that shows Toto days after his rescue last June.

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Comments

[Bethanese]

09:16 AM on 05/30/2012

I love this story, and plan to buy the book for my 3 month old daughter. Being from West Springfield, where two people lost their lives that day (and where my commute would have taken me had I not very fortuitously decided to leave work 1/2 hour early), I want to share the story with her when she is old enough to understand.

[Lindsgrace33]

09:33 AM on 05/17/2012

Amazing. I love Toto!

[phal4875]

04:16 PM on 05/11/2012

That tornado missed our home by about three miles. My icon sends her best to Toto.

[kittyblingbling]

04:21 PM on 04/24/2012

[Star2000dancer]

09:18 PM on 04/21/2012

Soft kitty, warm kitty

Little ball of fur.

Pretty kitty, sleepy kitty

Purr, purr, purr*

[Star2000dancer]

09:02 PM on 04/21/2012

Ohhhhhhhhh.....how absolutely precious and inspiring.

Why can't we be like that to all animals and each other?

[karen lyons kalmenson]

10:29 AM on 04/21/2012

a whirlwind of love for you, little toto☺♥☻

[Star2000dancer]

09:03 PM on 04/21/2012

Awwww.....fanned comment.

[karen lyons kalmenson]

07:06 AM on 04/22/2012

thank you☺♥☻

[anitafeeney]

04:22 AM on 04/21/2012

what a beautiful kitty i am glad he survived he resembles my kitty echeb

[pupmobile]

09:41 PM on 04/20/2012

Toto's story is an inspiration to all of us. This tiny baby survived and gave the people hope. Good story!!

[Star2000dancer]

09:05 PM on 04/21/2012

Thank Goodness for threads like this and comments like this.

[myste]

08:16 PM on 04/20/2012

I'm from Kansas, and I have always told my friends, from out of state, Toto, was a cat :), now they will beleive me meowwwwwwwwww

[mspender]

09:11 PM on 04/20/2012

so you had a feeling Toto was not in Kansas anymore?

[85Percent]

08:10 PM on 04/20/2012

This story is inspiring to those of us who work with cats. I have bottle fed a small one this size. Their little ears wiggle then the nurse on the bottle. It is just precious!

Animal lovers, cat lovers....down in Orlando, the Loews hotels of the Universal Orlando Resorts are kicking out the cats that have lived on their property for years, managed by volunteers who feed them and have them all spayed and neutered. They are taking the cats to a shelter where they are killed because they are not socialized to humans, and are not adoptable. They are not even using humane trapping methods.

TNR programs (trap,neuter, return) are the best solution to feral cat colonies, and the only solution that works long term. Please let them know that this inhumane treatment of animals is not acceptable to their potential guests.

Here is a petition from Alley Cat Allies that you can sign.

http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=1166&srctid=1&erid=19734593&trid=72418297-68d0-4bfd-a409-f16a07d1c5b0

Here is a video about the situation:

http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=1181&srctid=1&erid=19734593&trid=72418297-68d0-4bfd-a409-f16a07d1c5b0

Please help these helpless animals. There was a management change, and obviously someone who took over has an irrational dislike, hatred or fear of cats.

[Star2000dancer]

09:06 PM on 04/21/2012

OMG Please contact "Allied Animals" about this. And Morgan Dunbar on FB.

[85Percent]

10:57 PM on 04/21/2012

What is Allied Animals? I'm sorry, I don't do Facebook, if that is what you mean. If anyone wants to contact anyone else who can help, please do it.

[rav1267]

08:00 PM on 04/20/2012

Glad to see the kitty doing good.

[Kellybelle22]

07:35 PM on 04/20/2012

So glad that Toto is happy, healthy and safe now. We're adding this book to our daughter's library. She loves books about animals, especially kitties.

[Star2000dancer]

09:13 PM on 04/21/2012

I love this. I wrote a book about one kitten I recued in the cellar on Thanksgiving. It was called Cellar kitty, but I still have'nt published it.

This makes me want to write a book about all the animals I rescued. They all deserve a story and apparently are feel good stories for children and animal lovers..

I find that the best threads I find are on animals. This is truly inspirational. Beautiful kitty too.*

[Valerie Noriega]

06:27 PM on 04/20/2012

now this is the kind of story i love reading about, instead about those sorry excuse for women the kardashians, keep writing about stories like this one.

[rav1267]

07:56 PM on 04/20/2012

I agree

[Star2000dancer]

09:14 PM on 04/21/2012

Me too Val.

[Annie Says Goplies]

05:02 PM on 04/20/2012

Animals and nature can continue to inspire us and give us hope. All we have to do is look around and nature gives us the tools for survival.

It is too bad that a few abuse the environment that gives us life through the air we breath, the water we drink and the ground that our food grows from.

This kitten gives us a moment to reflect on what is truly important :)