They gave a community cat and her five kittens a new start, and one of them quickly stole the limelight.
One of them is unlike the othersJennifer
A few weeks ago, a community cat, Bella, and her five kittens were brought to Metro Animal Care and Control, in need of a foster home.
Her kittens were less than a week old, their eyes still closed and ears folded. Bella cradled them in her arms and nursed them with absolute devotion as she waited for a safe place.
Lindsay, a volunteer, jumped at the chance to foster them. Out of the five kittens, one was unlike the others.
Bella and her kittensLindsay
Bella had four brown tabbies (Button, Enoki, Porcini and Shiitake) and a gray one named Oyster. Although he was only the size of the palm of your hand, his loud voice commanded attention and his hearty appetite quickly made him one of the fattest kitties.
With four siblings competing for milk, he made sure his belly was always full and wiggled his way through the nest until he secured the best spot.
Lindsay
Bella relaxed in the nursery and spent most of her time looking after her kittens in their cozy “igloo”.
Trusting and loving, she ran to greet her foster mother at the door, her purr starting the moment she felt a scratch on her chin. “At just one year old, she’s a baby herself and deserves the most wonderful home after raising these five little meowshrooms,” shared Lindsay.
Lindsay
As Oyster grew, his curious and adventurous side began to shine. Still finding his footing, he wriggled to the edge of the bed and attempted a daring escape. But in the middle of it, he was overtaken by the need for a nap.
“He made it about halfway out of the igloo before he gave up and went to bed.”
Lindsay
Oyster loved to linger at the edge of the igloo, always planning his next “jailbreak”. Mama Bella snuggled up to her fearless but sleepy gray baby and showered him with cuddles and purrs.
As the kittens got the hang of using their legs, their personalities emerged. They started rolling around and fighting each other in “slow motion”.
Oyster and BellaLindsay
Once the kittens were out of their igloo, they explored every corner of their playpen. Lindsay introduced a pleasant new “cave” which quickly caught Oyster’s attention. While his siblings dozed off in a heap on a blanket, he snuggled into the cave on his own.
“Mama Bella discovered the cave too. She’s almost too big but made it work somehow. Of course the kids tried to follow her in there and it got even cozier.”
Oysters enjoyed their nap in the “cave”Lindsay
With a devoted mother and a kind human, the kittens blossomed into chubby bundles of energy.
Despite being a little unsteady on his feet, Oyster continued to challenge his siblings in rough play. He arched his back and swayed sideways, trying to appear twice his size as he prepared to pounce.
Lindsay
The wilder it frolics, the deeper the kittens plunge, and they often end up in a spinning pile of hugs.
Oyster has a mind of its own and always marches to the beat of its own drum. While the brown tabbies line up on one side to nurse, the little maverick takes his place on the other side and blazes his own trail.
Oyster always marches to the beat of its own drumJennifer
“They were 5-6 days old when we got them at six weeks old now, and we’ll probably have them another 2-3 weeks before they’re ready for adoption,” Lindsay Love told Meow.
“Mama Bella has the patience of a saint. The kittens agreed her tail is the best toy. She is the sweetest, gentlest girl and would make a great pet for anyone who doesn’t want anything to do with the chaotic kitten energy.”
Lindsay
With a loving foster home, this beautiful family thrives as the kittens enter their rambunctious phase. Bella is almost ready to retire from motherhood and enjoy being the center of attention in a loving home.
Jennifer
Share this story with your friends. More about Bella, her kittens and Lindsay’s foster families on Instagram @loveandlittlecats and Metro Animal Care and Control @nashanimalcare. Thanks to Jenn @nashfosterkittens.
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