A cat left her three kittens on a family's porch and came back later with four more babies.
Meggie, who volunteers for One Cat at a Time (a kitten rescue in Quebec, Canada), discovered three tiny kittens on her porch in the midst of flooding last year.
She had a winter box made for stray and feral cats on her porch, and the kittens were found nestled in there. "I left the kittens there because I knew it's better to leave them with the mom, but later, the mom moved two of the kittens and left one alone by himself," Meggie told Love Meow.
Meggie waited for the cat to return for the remaining kitten, but there was no sign of her after a long period of time. The last kitten was very hungry and in need of rescue. They brought him in, and while Meggie was tending to him, her boyfriend found the other two kittens.
"My boyfriend found them scattered in another spot in my yard. They were out in the open, and the cat mom never came back for them."
The couple took them inside, got them cleaned up and reunited them with their brother. That night, the kittens fell asleep together with full bellies, in their cozy, warm bed.
Meggie bottle-fed the kittens every two hours and provided around-the-clock care. The trio perked up and began to thrive.
Over the next few weeks, the litter of three blossomed into playful, rambunctious kitties. They turned out to be affectionate cuddle-bugs who had so much to give.
The couple continued to keep an eye out for the cat mom. About two months after they discovered the kittens, they were stunned by what they found in their backyard.
The cat finally came back and she was not alone. She brought a new litter of four to their doorsteps.
"I knew she would keep on having more babies, so we set up a trap and got her in at last. She was very feral and afraid of people," Meggie shared with Love Meow.
After a lot of effort, the couple was able to get the mom and her kittens the medical attention they needed. They were placed in a quiet room so the mom could concentrate on raising her kittens without stress or worries.
"As soon as she was brought inside, she immediately went to take care of her kittens. She was not good with people, but she was a great mom." The tabby cat wouldn't let anyone near except Meggie, who was the only one allowed to sit next to her.
Meanwhile, the three kittens (Trunks, Runty and Saria) from the previous litter had grown by leaps and bounds. The couple fell head over heels for Trunks and Runty, the two bonded brothers, and they couldn't part with them.
"They absolutely loved our big dogs and we became very attached to them, so they never left," Meggie shared with Love Meow.
Their sister Saria was adopted into a wonderful family who stays in touch with the couple to this date.
The four younger kittens were thrilled that they never had to worry about food and shelter growing up in the comfort of a loving home. They continued to hone their social skills and began prepping for their future forever homes.
Once they were big enough for adoption, they were quickly snatched up by great families, and are now enjoying their VIP lives as spoiled, indoor cats.
The cat mom has been spayed and retired from motherhood once and for all. She has caretakers to make sure that she's fed and well every day.
Trunks and Runty have blossomed into gorgeous cats. Their bond has only gotten stronger.
When Meggie brings home new fosters, the two brothers will try to help, as if to give the kittens the same love that they received when they were rescued.
The couple found three little kittens on their porch that day but ended up saving four more and their cat mom.
Their household has grown bigger since then (with multiple rescued cats and dogs). Their rescue and foster work continues each day.
Trunks and Runty are living the life they always wanted -- with a big family and plenty of cuddles to go around.
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Related story: Cat Befriends Stray Kitten from Yard and Brings Him into His Home