A rescued cat mom began to warm up to her foster family when she realized her kittens were safe.
An orange and white cat was found outside with her kittens. She had been keeping them safe from life on the streets until they were brought into Austin Animal Center.
Mélia and Karine, twin sisters who volunteer for the shelter, stepped up to help. They gave her a quiet room to raise her kittens and offered plenty of food in hopes of gaining her trust. "When she first came she was terrified and underweight. We were really concerned about the health of her babies," the sisters told Love Meow.
"She barely had any milk and the kittens were losing weight and not doing well at all. We kept them alive by supplementing them around the clock."
During the first few days in foster care, the very protective mama wouldn't let her kittens out of eyeshot, and would call them and bring them back to the nest if they wandered off. She kept moving her babies around, trying to find the "safest" place to stow her little ones.
"Mama was also curious about the world outside the foster room, but she was too scared to come out yet."
After a few day, she began to warm up to her foster family and even let them pet her. The cat mom, named Aiyu, never lost sight of her kittens, supervising the humans when they interacted with her babies.
Mélia and Karine spent ample time to reassure the cat mom that she no longer needed to worry. They put food next to her when she forgot to eat and talked to her softly, showing her that they meant well.
It took another few days until the overprotective cat mom finally accepted their help and began to eat more. Knowing that her kittens were safe, she calmed down and her appetite began to grow.
"After she started eating more, she started to produce milk, gain some weight, and she became so loving."
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The sweet mama came out of her shell and blossomed into a playful, affectionate cat. Her kittens' bellies were round and full, and they grew bigger and became more playful each day.
Aiyu has been eating like a champ, and her personality is shining through. "She sleeps in my bed every night, super playful and takes amazing care of her babies," the sisters said.
"When she first arrived, she was very protective and would not let her kittens leave the nest. Now, she's chill because she knows everyone is safe."
The kittens, Mango, Pearl and Bean, are learning how to be a cat with lots of encouragement from their mama.
"The kittens love to play with toys and try to climb into our laps. Mama does the same things, because she's truly still a young kitten," the sisters added.
"She loves to go fetch her toy and keeps bringing it back to me every time. Sometimes when we tell her to sit, she listens. Her personality comes out more and more each day, and it's impossible to not fall in love with her."
Watch Aiyu and her kittens in this adorable video:
The kittens have figured out how to climb up the bed, and now, the family of four have claimed it as their own and share it with their humans.
"We let all the kittens explore the house for a few minutes everyday, and whenever the kittens are out of the foster room, mama meows and chirps a lot at them. She has to make sure the kids are safe!"
Mama gives Mango a hug followed by a mandatory bath.
Sweet Aiyu now has more me-time playing with toys and hanging out with her foster family, but if her kittens make a squeak, she comes running to cater to their every need.
The former stray is so happy her kittens are thriving, and she can finally relax and enjoy her VIP life.
Share this story with your friends. They are now looking for forever homes. Follow updates on the little family on Instagram.
Related story: Woman Woke Up to Find Cat Brothers Caring for Rescued Kittens After They Escaped from Playpen