California Passerby Hears Faint Cries From Dumpster And Discovers Four Tiny Faces

Early mornings are usually quiet for the team at Cats of San Bernardino, but one recent day began with an urgent phone call that changed everything.

At 6 a.m., a friend of the rescue spotted two tiny kittens wandering aimlessly around the parking lot of a YMCA. Afraid they’d get hurt, the Good Samaritan scooped them up and immediately called the volunteer team for help. 

That call set in motion a rescue effort that ended up saving not just two kittens, but four.

When the volunteer team arrived at the YMCA, they knew the situation might be more complicated than it seemed. Stray kittens rarely appear alone, and the biggest fear was that more siblings, or even their mother, were still out there.

The lot was still and quiet, with the only sounds coming from the distant morning traffic. The rescuers carefully combed the area, checking under cars, bushes, and near the dumpster. Then they heard it: a faint, high-pitched cry.

“We started meowing for them. We heard tiny return meows from underneath a dumpster. We were greeted by two more tiny babies.”

Peering into the shadows beneath the dumpster, the volunteer spotted two more kittens. Weak, frightened, and clearly starving, the little ones crept toward the sound of the rescuer’s voice. 

One by one, the volunteer gently scooped them up, holding them close for comfort.

After a thorough search, it became clear that only four kittens were present. While relieved to have rescued them, the team couldn’t help but worry about the mother cat.

The rescuers explained that it had been hours since anyone had seen the mama. Hungry kittens don’t survive long without their mother’s care, and the team feared something may have happened to her. As shared in the video:

“We hope nothing bad has happened to Mom. Our friend will be setting a trap for her over the next couple of days.”

If found, the mama will be spayed and given the chance at adoption, provided she’s friendly enough to adjust to an indoor life. For now, though, the focus is on keeping her babies safe, fed, and warm.

The story takes a hopeful turn: the four kittens are now in foster care and will soon make an appearance at the rescue’s upcoming adoption event.

While they’re still too young to go to homes right away, the kittens will be available for pre-adoption. 

That means families can reserve them by paying the adoption fee, and once the kittens are old enough, fully vetted, and spayed or neutered, they’ll officially get to join their forever families.

The volunteers are relieved, but they know the work isn’t over. Caring for stray cats is never a one-day job. For every kitten saved, there’s often a mother still out there, or more litters waiting for help.

This rescue is a powerful reminder of how important it is for people to speak up when they notice animals in distress. If their friend hadn’t called, those kittens might have been overlooked until it was too late.

Instead, because of one phone call and the quick action of the Cats of San Bernardino team, four little lives are now safe and secure.

Today, the kittens are cozy in foster care, eating well, and receiving plenty of love. Soon, they’ll each know what it feels like to be cherished members of a family. And hopefully, their mom will be trapped, spayed, and given her own chance at a better life too.