Meet the ASU sophomores who saved this adorable Siamese kitten from the streets of Tempe

Steven Guinta is an ASU sophomore, studies construction management, and is now the proud father of Kiko the kitten. Having saved her from the streets of Tempe, Steven told us the tale of how him and his friend, Pj Yong,  saved her life.

“About a week and a half ago my friend Pj found her next to a parking garage on Apache Blvd. She was boney, dirty, and covered in fleas, she was left for dead. Pj having a good heart, decided to get her wrapped up in a blanket and bring her to his apartment. There, he bathed her and was able to get a majority of the fleas off. He later showed me a picture and I instantly fell in love with her!

“Later that same day, Pj stopped by my apartment and brought her along wrapped up in a pillow case. He was telling me how he was going to bring her to a shelter and drop her off there or that one of his roommates was hoping to keep her. I brought up the idea of me becoming her full time owner and told Pj I would give him the definite answer the next day. Pj and his roommates voted on who would get the kitten, and it landed in my favor.

“I received the kitten the next day and decided to name her Kiko. Kiko is Japanese, and translates to Chrysanthemum, which is a flower often associated with the word hope. Pj and I drove to a pet supply store and bought her everything you need for a new kitten.

Pj and Kiko

“The next day, we brought her to a vet. We didn’t have an appointment but the vet’s understood our situation and squeezed us in into their schedule because they knew it was urgent she got care right away. The Vet told us she had a serious flea infestation and that the fleas were most likely making her anaemic from them taking blood from her. The doctor gave her a medicine to de-worm her and remove the few fleas left over. We took her home, and she’s been happy ever since.

“Kiko is a blue-eyed Siamese bred cat, and was probably around 6 weeks old when I found her. She’s going on 8 weeks now and she’s doing amazing. She looks to be at a healthy weight for her size and age. She’s playful, loving, and brings joy where ever she goes. She’s going to live a long fun-filled life with her new owner.”

Steve and Kiko

Steven plans on bringing Kiko back to his hometown in California once he graduates.