A cat helps care for a “kitten” who looks different from the others.
Honeybun, an orange cat, has been a rockstar mother at Spicy Cats Rescue since she was found outside and brought into safety through a TNR (trap-neuter-return) effort.
She has helped raise many kittens besides her own. “She is the most even-keeled cat ever. She’s not fazed by about anything,” Caroline, the president of Spicy Cats Rescue, shared with us.
Just when they thought Honeybun was retired from mommy duties, a special little “kitten” showed up needing a mother. She was unlike the others.
The new baby is a 6-week-old bobcat kitten who was found as an orphan and rescued by Millstone Wildlife Center.
Their goal is to raise and rehabilitate the bobkitten, and release her once she’s big enough to be reintegrated into the wild. Since her arrival, she has been crying and yearning for a constant companion.
“We do our best to provide the best nutrition, habitat, and medical care for our animals. With animals that easily habituate, we need to be especially careful that they are not comfortable around humans,” Frannie of Millstone Wildlife Center shared.
“That is tricky when you have a social animal that needs play time, snuggle time, and a little help with grooming too.”
Frannie and her team decided to think outside the box and try a different approach. They reached out to Spicy Cats Rescue and inquired about a potential surrogate mom. Honeybun became the perfect candidate for the job.
“Honeybun was an easy pick, being so maternal and having raised probably dozens of kittens in the past,” Caroline shared.
When the two officially met, Honeybun sat comfortably in her carrier and waited for the new “kitten” to come to her. “The bobkitten on the other hand was immediately over the moon and totally in love with her,” Caroline told us.
It was love at first sight for the bobkitten who started rumbling with her loud purrs.
She sniffed Honeybun’s nose and followed it up with a few face rubs and ear nibbles. It didn’t take long until she wrapped her arms around Honeybun and settled right next to her.
Over the next few days, the bobkitten watched Honeybun as she tried to learn to groom and eat like a big kitty.
Mama Honey has the patience of a saint and doesn’t mind the rough play. She’s happy to show the bobkitten the ropes and keep her company.
“They’ve been together a week tomorrow and are doing great. They snuggle, eat, and sleep together. The bobkitten tries to play with Honey all the time.”
With a doting surrogate momma, the bobkitten is thriving and no longer cries out of loneliness. Instead, she fills her room with purrs and lots of play.
