A very pregnant Siamese cat was turned to a county shelter in Oregon after she was picked up as a stray. No one came to claim her.
A few days later, she went into labor.
The cat mom named Hazel gave birth to six fur balls, who were nearly identical. They desperately needed foster care as the shelter environment was not ideal for them to thrive.
Cat Adoption Team (CAT), a nonprofit feline-only shelter in Sherwood, Oregon, learned about their plight and rushed to their rescue.
"At three days old, the kittens and Hazel were transferred to CAT. We picked the little family up that day. The kittens were all white at that age and we had no idea what colors they would become," Laura, foster mom, told Love Meow.
From the first day, Hazel was very attentive to her kittens, nursing, grooming and cuddling with them around the clock. She was also very sweet toward her caretakers as if she knew that they were there to help.
"She was friendly, so we know she was someone's pet at some point. We are so thankful that she didn't have these babies outside. During the time they were born, Portland was having several weeks of 100 degree weather," Laura added.
Hazel, one year old, is a mellow and petite girl at under seven pounds. As tiny as she is, she's taking on a big task of caring for six very demanding kittens while showering them with unconditional love. Mama Hazel makes sure that every kitten has a full belly and is kept clean at all times.
No one knows how long she was left on the streets, but Hazel is so happy to be indoors again. With help from her foster family, she and her kittens are thriving.
"She is one of the most affectionate moms we've had," Laura told Love Meow.
Hazel is a very playful cat mother who loves to watch her kittens in action. She will play with them and catch the feather wand around them as if to show them how to play like a big kitty.
Watch their journey in this cute video:
Hazel tends to her kittens' every need and is never far from them.
"Even now that the babies are over six weeks old, we still catch them nursing once in a while, and Hazel allows it," Laura added.
As the kittens grew bigger, their color points started to come in.
"Three of the kittens have white socks and the other three have chocolate socks like Hazel," Laura added.
Laura and her daughter have fostered over 170 kittens and cat moms over the past eight years.
"People are often amazed that you can find Siamese or color point kittens and cats at a shelter, but we see them more than you'd think," Laura said. "Please spay and neuter your pets and Adopt, Don't Shop!"
These kittens got to grow up in the comfort of a foster home with a nurturing cat mama and a loving family.
They are ready to find a place to call their own.
Share this story with your friends. Follow updates on this beautiful foster family on Facebook and Instagram. If you are interested in pre-adopting/adopting the kittens and/or their cat mom (in the Portland area), click here for more info.
Related story: Stray Cat Mom Brings Her Kittens to Man that She Befriended, for Help