Recently, a group of dedicated cat rescuers was in the middle of their usual mission to rescue neighborhood kittens when they stumbled upon an intriguing scene.
Nestled in a broken flower pot, a new cat mom was fiercely guarding her babies from the dangers of the outside world.
As the rescuers approached to help the little family, they quickly encountered the wrath of an extremely protective pawrent.
Before they stumbled upon the angry cat mom, the rescuers had been searching for the mothers of two litters of kittens they had rescued earlier that day.
These kittens had a particularly rough start to life: Not only had they lost their mothers, but they were also separated from their littermates and scattered throughout the neighborhood.
Some of them were hiding in the nearby bushes, while others had been taken by local children who weren’t educated on proper kitten care.
Unfortunately, some of the kittens lost their lives due to health issues or attacks by stray dogs.
Thankfully, the rest of the kittens, now in the hands of the brave rescuers, were safe and on their way to receiving proper care and finding loving forever homes.
While searching for the mothers of the orphaned kittens they had rescued earlier that day, the rescuers asked several locals for assistance, hoping they had useful information.
Helpful community members mentioned a local stray cat that had recently given birth.
Hoping she might be the mother of some of the kittens they had found, the rescuers went to check on her.
Unfortunately, none of the rescued kittens resembled the mother they found hiding in a broken flower pot, leading the rescuers to conclude she was not their mother.
Their certainty was reinforced by her intense protectiveness; she guarded the surrounding kittens with such passion that no one could approach without being hissed or swatted at.
Such a protective mother would never willingly abandon her kittens, even at the risk of her own life.
Since they had located the mother and her kittens, the rescuers decided to offer assistance.
However, this proved quite challenging because the mother was very defensive, constantly hissing and swatting, even scratching a rescuer who tried to touch one of her kittens.
Attempts to appease her with food were unsuccessful. Despite their efforts to feed her from a distance using food on a stick, she refused to trust them and would not eat, despite likely being very hungry.
They tried leaving food on a leaf near her, which, to everyone’s surprise, worked! Enticed by the delicious smell, the cat began to lick and then eat the food.
The rescuers continued to bring more food, and she became calmer with each bite.
After eating, she lowered her guard, allowing the rescuers to pet her and eventually place her and her kittens in a cat carrier to take them to the nearest vet clinic.
At the vet, all the felines found that day were examined, including the motherless kitten litters and the little furry family.
Some of the kittens had hypothermia, but aside from that, they were mostly healthy – issues that could be managed with a warm heating blanket and some kitten medicine.
At the shelter, the mother cat became defensive again, hissing and running away, unwilling to interact with the rescuers who came to bring food and check on her.
This behavior was likely because she had never lived indoors; everything was new and frightening to her.
Even the presence of her kittens didn’t seem to reassure her. She found a hiding spot and refused to come out to feed her babies.
Fortunately, there were other friendly felines in the shelter, including the gentle resident cat, Luna, who immediately approached the cat’s kittens, making sure they were settled in all nice.
Observing her kittens interacting with other cats, the once-angry mother gradually calmed down.
She eventually left her hiding place to gather her kittens and take them back to their safe nook, where she felt secure enough to feed and groom them.
This may have seemed like a small step to some, but it was significant for her. The rescuers decided to let her adjust at her own pace, not forcing anything.
Under the rescuers’ loving care, the once angry cat transformed completely in just a few days, becoming a furry cuddlebug. Her remarkable turnaround is a testament to the power of love!
But that’s not the only good news – there’s more to this happy ending.
The rescuers set up a few humane cat traps around their neighborhood, hoping to catch the mothers of the two kitten litters they had rescued.
And they succeeded with one! Hooray! I’m hopeful that the other mom will soon be reunited with her babies, too.
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