A family cat befriended a neighborhood stray who later came back in need of a place for her soon-to-be-born kittens.
Ida Floreak, a painter in New Orleans, started noticing a stray cat showing up in her backyard. The lone feline was wandering around the area until she saw Bruce, Ida's cat, and eventually mustered enough courage to meet him on the doorsteps.
The little panther kitty really took a liking to the resident cat. Despite being very shy around people, she was eager to be friends with the Siamese. After a proper meet-a-greet, Ida began to leave food outside for the little feline admirer and hoped for her visits again.
It didn't take long for the familiar little face to re-emerge. The stray cat whom Ida named Salami, came back to visit her pal and gladly accepted the complimentary meal. The initial plan was to win the kitty's trust, get her vetted and spayed and hopefully find her a good home.
"She was shy at first. It took a few months for her to feel comfortable just being petted," Ida told Love Meow.
When the cat returned a little while later, Ida noticed that the cat had a little baby bump. The stray was pregnant and would need a safe place to give birth and raise her kittens.
As her belly grew rounder, Salami became more trusting and affectionate towards her food provider. She would eventually approach Ida for pets and even allow her human friend to brush her. Ida continued to feed the expectant cat mom as she felt more and more comfortable in her presence.
One early morning, Ida woke up to the sound of a cat crying outside of her home during the wee hours — it was Salami, meowing aloud on the doorsteps, wanting to be let in. She opened the door and the kitty walked right in. Hours later, she went into labor.
Ida was pleasantly surprised yet glad that the cat had chosen her home to deliver her babies. She quickly put together a makeshift nest and lined it with blankets. Salami started pushing and proceeded to give birth to two beautiful kittens. Many hours passed by, and she surprised Ida with another pair of precious babies.
After a long and intense day, the sweet cat mom had her litter of four all lined up by her side, nursing away. The loving mama was completely devoted to her kittens, keeping them well fed and clean around the clock.
She hardly left their side and constantly smothered them with love.
Ida was able to watch all the cuteness unfold before her eyes as the little family blossomed in the comfort of her home.
The sweet cat mom was so happy to have a roof over their heads and that her kittens would never have to worry about food and shelter.
Over the next few weeks, the four little nuggets grew by leaps and bounds and turned into playful, rambunctious kitties. They scampered around the house, loving the indoor life.
Three of them are mama's precious mini-mes, and one is an adorably distinguished tabby.
When the kittens were old enough, Ida was able to adopt them out to good homes. She fell head over heels for the sweet cat mom and simply couldn't part with her.
"She's warmed up and adjusted to house life very well. She's the sweetest little lady and is in love with my other cat Bruce," Ida shared with Love Meow.
No more wandering the streets and no more pregnancies, the former stray had her dream come true. Now, she spends her day and night with her best friend Bruce, filling their home with endless cuteness.
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