Corona father, son open hearts and home to Snuggles the dryer cat

Snuggles makes herself at home Valentine's Day with her new family, Jarod Farnsworth and his son Christopher, 9. (Photo courtesy of Riverside County Animal Services)

When Jarod Farnsworth and his 9-year-old son, Christopher, walked into the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter Monday and laid eyes on an endearing tabby, it was love at first sight—just fitting for Valentine’s Day.

The two immediately fell for and adopted Snuggles, the cat found Dec. 3 inside of a Riverside apartment complex clothes dryer with her head and body bound with duct tape, said John Welsh, spokesman for Riverside County Animal Services.

The 4-year-old tabby, was found bound at the mouth, duct taped and possibly tossed around in a Riverside apartment complex clothes dryer Dec. 3. Snuggles has now been adopted. (Photo by Sgt. Jason Sanders/Riverside County Animal Services)

Snuggles and her five kittens, who were found unharmed a few days later, were fostered for more than two months by a former animal control officer so they could recover from the incident before being put up for adoption.

“She waited and waited,” Welsh said. “She was available for more than two weeks… everyone seemed to just pass her by without much notice.”

But two big hearts changed that for Snuggles, giving her a permanent family to cozy up with.

Jarod and Christopher took Snuggles to her new home in Corona where she has already made herself comfortable, Welsh said.

The father and son are likely to keep the cat’s name as Snuggles, he said.

So far, no one has come forward with information about Snuggles’ animal cruelty incident, Welsh said.