Anyone from Virginia knows that winters there can bring their fair share of cold and challenging days.
If we humans find those freezing temperatures hard to bear, just imagine how tough it must be for our feline friends – especially the ones living outside with no warm place to go.
Unfortunately, winter often brings heartbreaking stories of cats fighting to survive the harsh cold, and the one you’re about to read is no exception.
(Thankfully, this one has a happy ending.)
Furry Surprise In The Snow
One chilly winter day, a woman was going about her daily routine when she stumbled upon a heartbreaking sight – five tiny newborn kittens completely encased in ice.
Moved by their fragile state, she knelt down and saw that they were barely holding on to life.
With no mother cat in sight, she knew it was up to her to step in and give these helpless little souls a fighting chance.
The woman carefully scooped up the tiny kittens and rushed them home, determined to save their precious lives.
She began warming them up, doing everything she could to help them recover from their frozen ordeal.
Once she noticed slight improvements in their condition, she reached out to her local cat rescue center for additional support.
The rescue team quickly contacted another foster mom, knowing she’d be more than willing to step in and provide the care the kittens needed.
However, the woman soon realized that the kittens required more intensive care than anticipated.
That’s when Foster Kitten HQ from Arlington, Virginia, stepped in, taking on the monumental task of nursing the five fragile kittens back to health.
There’s Nothing Like The Warmth Of A Loving Foster Home
Once the kittens had settled in, Foster Kitten HQ introduced them to their online community with a heartwarming update:
“They were clearly born yesterday, as they were still sticky and yellow from birth, their cords are not dried, and they had a meconium poop. Good news is, everyone warmed up nicely, they’ve all now been cleaned up, and they are feisty little things! I *believe* we have two boys and three girls.”
Eager to begin their journey to recovery, their new foster mom welcomed the tiny crew into her care and gave them a fitting nickname – the poppin’ bottle babies!
As the days went by, the poppin’ bottle babies began showing signs of improvement.
With time spent in a warm incubator and bottle feedings every three hours, their transformation was nothing short of miraculous.
These once-frozen kittens were now thriving, full of life, and looking better than ever!
By their second week, Jameson, Jäger, Kahlua, Hennessy, and Morgan had all opened their eyes and were bursting with energy.
They loved playing with each other, exploring their surroundings, and tumbling around like pros. Of course, eating and sleeping were still their top priorities.
Honestly, kitten life does sound like the ultimate dream, doesn’t it?
Feline Journey With A Bumpy Road
However, as often happens with kittens born outdoors, the health of Jäger and Kahlua suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Their foster mom took to Facebook to share the troubling news, writing:
“Both Kahlua and Jäger started having diarrhea, and it is just gross. I have been having to change out the bedding and clean all the kittens at every single feed because it’s just leaking out of these poor babies.
I’m not sure what changed, because their poo was great up until now, and so far the other three seem fine, but we have some meds so fingers crossed it clears up.
Not only is it gross and extra work with all the cleanup, but more importantly they are dropping a little weight with every explosion, and we want to make sure they don’t get to the point of not eating too.”
Thankfully, her worries were short-lived. Phew!
Just three days later, Kahlua and Jäger started feeling better, their tummies settled, and they were back to being the healthiest and most adorable little furballs.
They began eating normally again, getting “milk-drunk” after every feed. Hooray for these brave little fighters!
Happily Ever After
As time passed, the poppin’ bottle babies grew stronger, and before long, it was time for the most important moment in every cat’s life: Finding a forever home!
I’m thrilled to share that all five kittens have found loving families who will care for them forever.
Kahlua, Hennessy, and Morgan were adopted together, while sweet Jäger found his happy ending with another foster kitten he had grown up with.
Although the siblings were separated, the most important thing is that they’ve all found the love and warmth they deserve.
They will never have to fear the cold again, as they’ll now be surrounded by the love and warmth of their forever families.
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