Abandoned Litter Of 5 Kittens Survives Against All Odds Thanks To Loving Foster Mom In Virginia
One day, a litter of five newborn kittens was found abandoned outside, their mother nowhere in sight.
Penny Richards, a foster volunteer at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Virginia, didn’t hesitate for a second to step in and save their lives.
The kittens were just two days old, still with their umbilical cords attached. It’s nothing short of a miracle that they survived at all.
Penny knew time was critical for their survival, so she quickly set up a warm nest with heated blankets and began feeding them every few hours.
However, a new challenge arose when the kittens began suckling on each other, a behavior that could be harmful.
This instinctive behavior, common in orphaned kittens, needed immediate attention.
However, according to the Maddie’s Fund, this behavior needs to be taken seriously due to potential harm.
“Damaged tissue on a kitten being suckled on can be life-threatening; the genital area can get traumatized to the degree that a kitten is unable to pee.”
Fortunately, Penny came up with a solution: she dressed the kittens in tiny onesies to prevent this dangerous behavior until they outgrew it.
Among the five kittens, one stood out. Piccadilly, or Dilly, was the smallest of the bunch and needed extra encouragement to eat. Penny shared:
“I always started the feeds with her because she was the noisiest and then went back and offered her more when everyone else was done.”
Dilly was a unique kitten. She was the last to open her eyes and required more time and attention to catch up with her siblings. Penny recalled:
“She loves people. When she was tiny and developed her sight, she would just sit and watch everyone around her. She was noisy when awake, but when asleep, she was always in such funny position. She could be found snuggling with her lamb (cuddle toy) more often than not, even on top of it.”
Despite her small size, Dilly had a big personality and wasn’t shy about showing it. She was always ready to share her opinions.
As she grew, her playful and energetic nature only became more prominent. She was always the first to jump in and play with the fuzzy ball toys.
But what Dilly loved most was curling up in a warm lap and staying there. Penny said:
“She was very cuddly, and always climbed onto my lap for snuggles while purring away.”
Every day, Dilly would settle on her foster mom’s lap, staring at her with wide eyes.
When the kittens grew older, Dilly remained the smallest but behaved like any other kitten.
She was full of energy and loved to play, but once her energy was spent, she would curl up on the nearest lap to recharge.
“Piccadilly has been a joy to have around! From day one, she has the biggest personality crammed into the tinniest body.”
Penny added:
“When her eyes opened, and her sight came in, she would just sit and stare at me, watching everything I was doing and taking it all in.”
“She has been bold and loud and so entertaining, but little Dilly has the sweetest side to her. She always came for cuddles on my lap and loved to sleep up against me. She never stopped purring, and as soon as I called her name, she came running over.”
As the kittens grew and became ready for their new homes, Dilly found the family she had always dreamed of.
Dilly now has a bigger feline sister, Ronan, who has taken her under her wing.
The two sisters get along wonderfully, as if they’ve always been together. Dilly follows Ronan everywhere and tries to mimic her actions.
Shira, Dilly’s new human mom, couldn’t hide her excitement:
“Dilly is getting so big. She’s five months old and 5.3 pounds. She spends a lot of her day running around, bugging her sister, and watching the humidifier. She loves climbing on the headboard, snuggling with me under the covers… She makes me laugh constantly with her silly antics.”
Dilly is truly a special kitty, showing us that even the tiniest can have the biggest personalities and the biggest hearts.
