A cat who has been living outside for so long, is indoors with her kittens for the first time.
Earlier this month, a Good Samaritan from Florida found a litter of kittens outside a home. They were situated in a pile of doors on the side of the house. The finder reached out to a local rescue, Animalluvr’s Dream Rescue, for help.
As it turned out, the kittens belong to a neighborhood stray who had been living underneath a house in the area for some time. She was elusive and difficult to catch. “This mama is believed to have been left behind when her humans moved, and she’s been living in the neighborhood ever since,” the rescue shared.
Nadija, a volunteer of the rescue, made it her mission to get the cat off the streets and into a home, so she could raise her trio in comfort.
Once the stack of doors were cleared out, the kittens were seen scattered around on the ground. They were scooped up from the dirt and placed in a carrier.
With lots of patience and a humane trap, the mom was finally brought to safety. “We do not leave behind mama cats. We found a foster home that was willing to take the entire family.”
“The family was very nervous when they first moved in. There was lots of hissing even from the little ones. Mama (named Rebecca) was unsure about everything and acted accordingly,” Allison Ilcken, Foster Mom, shared with us.
Rebecca came with incredible maternal instinct to protect her kittens (Kate, Randi, and Kevin) and kept them out of harm’s way. She seemed relieved to have a safe haven to raise her trio, but still had a hard time trusting people.
Allison provided added privacy for Rebecca by fashioning den-like living arrangements using cardboard to cover most of the bathtub, so she could feel more at ease and secure.
With fresh soft bedding, a copious amount of food and clean water, Rebecca was slowly adjusting to indoor life. “She has been really good about eating. After one night, she figured out how to use her litter box, and has been using it since.”
The kittens are three weeks old and starting to put their newfound leg strength to the test. They venture around their nest, check out every nook and cranny, while their mom watches their every move.
Rebecca doesn’t hesitate to hover over her fur kids if they make a peep. As the kittens become more active and outgrow their nest, they will soon be upgraded to a more spacious kitty suite.
“She is a really good mom and definitely protective of her babies. But as time goes, she is less hissy and less likely to strike at me,” Allison told us.
Recently, Mama Rebecca tried a tube treat directly from her foster mom’s hand. She finished it without making a fuss–it was a breakthrough for her as she slowly warmed up to the idea that people aren’t so bad.
After roaming the streets for nearly her entire life, Rebecca now has many people to root for her.
Once the kittens are big enough, she will be spayed, never have to go through another pregnancy, and be able to enjoy doing whatever her heart desires.
The trio are thriving in foster care and waddling around with their healthy, chonky bellies. “The bravest kitten is the tiger girl, Kate. She’s consistently been pretty outgoing.”
They adore their human friends and have met the resident dog Izzy who can’t wait to love on them when they are ready to socialize.
