Family Hiking in Snowy Woods Finds Kitten Covered in Ice, by Stephen Messenger

Late January, after a powerful snowstorm passed through the region, North Carolina resident Scott and his two kids decided to go hiking in the woods near their home. When they reached a remote spot, far from any houses, Scott’s daughter suggested they take a selfie. “After taking it, my daughter said, ‘What’s that noise?’” “We all stopped to listen and heard high-pitched meowing, over and over.”

A short way off, the family spotted some discarded metal and realized the sound was coming from there. Lifting the metal up, Scott could see that a tiny kitten was huddling underneath.

“I got in close and saw her ─ so tiny, covered head to toe in ice, and my heart just sank,” Scott said. “I think we were having trouble seeing her because she was so covered in ice, she blended in with all of the snow and sleet around her.”

After carefully unsticking the kitten’s frozen fur from the metal, Scott’s son removed his gloves to warm her with his hands. She relaxed in his arms, seeming to know that she was finally safe.

“We walked home as quickly as we could,” Scott said. “I texted my wife on the way, so when we got home, she had some blankets and things ready.”

Once back at the house, the kitten was placed near a heating pad. “It didn’t take long until she was warm and dry.”

The little cat, who they named Elsa, was later confirmed by a vet to be about 4 weeks old. She quickly regained her strength with kitten formula and the newfound love of Scott and his family.

“She’s very healthy,” Scott said. “We just keep taking turns passing her around, cuddling her, petting her, feeding her, and loving on her.”

It isn’t known how Elsa came to be stranded all alone in that hard-to-reach place in the woods, but Scott believes it was divine intervention that carried him and the kids to that spot where her cries could be heard.

The family has since returned there, in case any other cats needed saving, but none were found.

“We're just so thankful to God for leading us to her and allowing us to help her!” Scott said.

Since being rescued, Elsa is settling in well with her new forever family, who, up until then, hadn’t been planning on getting another cat.

In an instant on the snowy day she was found, everything changed.

“I just knew there was no way we were going to save this kitty, take her home, and then not keep her,” Scott said.

“She is definitely a permanent part of our family. She is just the sweetest, cutest, littlest thing we've ever seen!”

Little Elsa

Written by Stephen Messenger for Daily Dodo, https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/family-hiking-in-snowy-woods-follows-tiny-meows-to-a-kitten-covered-in-ice

Published on Jan 30, 2026