A cat mother was so happy when she and her eight kittens were rescued from an uncertain fate.
A stray cat was found on the streets of Houston, Texas and brought to a local shelter mid-July. She was just skin and bones and very pregnant. The day after arriving, she went into labor and gave birth to eight kittens.
The shelter couldn't keep them due to limited resources. Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue (RMFR) in Denver, Colorado was contacted by their rescue partners in Texas. They immediately offered to take them.
The family of nine made their journey to their new foster home in Denver. Given the large litter, some kittens were more vulnerable and required extra care. "I was worried she wouldn't be able to take care of them all," Laine, a foster volunteer of RMFR, told Love Meow.
The cat mom whom they named Joan, leaned over to Laine for some pets when she arrived. She was kneading the air with her paws and rumbling with her adorable, sweet purrs.
"She was very happy to be safe and have space to herself. She was sweet as pie when she came home," Laine said.
The kittens were just a few days old still with their umbilical cords attached. "I have to pay very close attention to their weights. There's been some fighting over who gets a spot at the milk bar."
Laine provided supplemental feedings for some of the smaller kittens. Two of them ended up needing more specialized care from another volunteer.
It took a village, but the family of nine survived and began to thrive.
Mama Joan is constantly doting on her babies with unconditional love. She snuggles up to Laine every time she enters the room, stretching her little toes in pure bliss while getting head scratches.
The protective momma is always with her kittens, watching over them every step of the way.
"She's super friendly so it's likely she was once someone's pet," Laine said. "Joan is incredibly affectionate and absolutely loves being petted and scratched. She is immediately trusting of all humans."
Watch Mama Joan and her kittens in this cute video:
When it's time to clean and vacuum the foster room, mama keeps her babies in a secure spot and covers them with her body until the cleaning is complete.
She then carries them out, one by one, back to their comfortable nest.
When the kittens are big enough, they will be spayed/neutered along with their mama to ensure the cycle will be stopped and to find them all their forever homes.
"Adult cats often get overlooked, but they deserve love just like any other animal."
Mama Joan found help just in time so all of her kittens would survive.
She hasn't stopped purring ever since and is so happy to be loved and cared for.
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Related story: Stray Cat Comes Back to Find Her Kittens Who Were Brought to the Shelter