We recently posted about how much we love our wonderful mama cats but I was reminded today of some other mothers who deserve special mention.

Meet Bean. She gave birth to two babies who are now ten days old and the whole family is being fostered by one of our newest fosters, Dawn. Dawn had only been fostering for four days when VOKRA ended up with two orphaned kittens about the same age as Bean’s littles. The orphaned kittens were being bottle fed but we always prefer for them to be cared for by a mama cat, if possible. It doesn’t always work; the mother doesn’t always accept them. But it was decided that we’d try putting the two orphaned kittens, now named Aberdeen and Nellie, in with Bean’s babies and hope she would care for them.

When Karen brought the kittens over, Dawn was understandably nervous. This was pretty big league stuff after only four days as a foster! Karen took one of Bean’s kittens and rubbed that kitten’s scent on Aberdeen and Nellie before placing them all back in Bean’s nesting box. Dawn held her breath. Aberdeen and Nellie latched on and began to purr immediately. Bean approved them with a stroke of her tongue and the deal was sealed. Dawn started breathing again. “It was as though she had four all along,” she said.

As an adoptive parent (of human children, that is), I know I love my children every bit as much as a birth mother loves hers. But it is still always amazing to watch a mama cat take in babies she didn’t birth. Some are a little more reluctant than Bean, taking a while to consider these new bundles of fur that are presented to them. But it’s a beautiful thing when they decide to adopt the little orphaned ones, loving them and making no distinction between any of their kittens from then on.

In about eight weeks, all of Bean’s kittens will be looking to be adopted a second time, this time by their forever human families. They are very lucky little kittens to have as loving a mother as Bean. Dawn says Bean’s mothering instinct is so strong that they have to remind her to eat, and often bring her breakfast, lunch and dinner in bed.

So, do all the kittens get along?

“The only drama I have seen is that all the kittens seem to like the same nipple and will sometimes scratch and vie for suckling rights,” Dawn reported.

Sounds like siblings to me!

Thanks for being such a wonderful mom to all of your kittens, Bean. And thanks to Dawn for being a great foster.

Please consider making a donation to VOKRA to help pay for food, litter and vet care for all of Bean’s babies and the hundreds of cats and kittens we rescue every year.