Mother’s Day is almost here! To celebrate the occasion, we’re reflecting on heartwarming stories of mother cats whose lives we saved because of dedicated supporters like you!
Spaying and neutering are still the number one priority. However, when mother cats have already given birth and need support, we take action. Most importantly, we ensure mom can continue to care for her kittens on her own terms. As long as she is able, she is their best caretaker, and her instincts are irreplaceable.
The following stories are proof. Despite challenging situations, these mother cats went above and beyond to raise their kittens into strong, healthy cats. Super moms, indeed!
Your gift in honor of Mother’s Day will help us bring lifesaving rescue and care to even more cats and kittens.
Mother Cat Ethel Adopts Kittens in Need
Humans aren’t the only ones who adopt!
When 91 cats were rescued from an Alabama property in April, many in need of urgent care, Alley Cat Allies stepped in to cover medical costs. Several of the cats were pregnant mothers or had recently given birth. And some of these moms, likely due to stress, couldn’t provide the amount of milk their kittens needed.
Enter Ethel, an experienced mother cat among those rescued. She was still producing milk, and the moment she heard restless kittens, she began to trill and cry for them. Taking a chance, fosters placed a few of the kittens with her…and she took them in without hesitation.
With the way she settled immediately, content and purring, you’d never know the kittens weren’t originally hers!
Ethel’s instincts have been a true lifesaver for these kittens at the most critical time. And since we had her spayed, this litter will truly be her last. We know she’ll find a forever home of her own soon—where she can be the one babied as she deserves!
Godiva Raises 8 Kittens Despite the Odds
Leave Them Be™ is our policy for good reason. Because someone brought mother cat Godiva to an animal shelter, her and her kittens’ lives were placed at high risk. Mother cats and young kittens are often killed in shelters without humane policies—and Godiva was impounded with not one newborn, but eight.
Thankfully, Alley Cat Allies works with amazing veterinary and advocate allies. Working together, we facilitated the little family’s rescue and provided the medical care and careful monitoring they needed to thrive.
Though Godiva had her entire life uprooted more than once, she was determined to protect her kittens through it all. We had the privilege of watching each kitten, from bold Cricket to laidback Steel, blossom under her care.
Before we knew it, all of her kittens were spayed or neutered and adopted. Even more incredibly, Godiva (also spayed, of course) was quick to follow! Mother cats are often overlooked compared to their kittens, but Godiva’s family knew she was the one the moment they saw her.
These days, Godiva goes by ‘Diva’, and she has the attitude and glamor to match! “She never fails to put a smile on my face,” her adopter shared.
Miso Said ‘Yes’ to One Kitten More
Imagine giving birth to five babies, being in the thick of raising them all at once…and then you’re suddenly asked to take in another. That was the situation facing Miso, and her answer was a resounding ‘yes’!
Miso and her kittens, Butternut, Bisque, Bouillon, Noodle, and Chowder, were being cared for under an Alley Cat Allies grant when another kitten was discovered, tiny and alone. Rescuers determined that she was about the same age as Miso’s litter, so a careful decision was made: place her with the nursing mom and see what happened.
To Miso, it was as if she’d had six kittens all along. She welcomed the new baby, dubbed Minestrone, without missing a beat!
The whole little family grew up together under our care. And when all were ready, the kittens were spayed and neutered and found forever homes one by one. However, it was Miso herself who was adopted first!
How You Can Help Mother Cats and Their Kittens
Throughout Mother’s Day weekend and beyond, share the best ways to protect mother cats.
1. Spay mother cats as soon as possible
As soon as possible, even if a mother cat is still nursing kittens, have her spayed and vaccinated. She will be healthier and happier if her current litter is her last. Plus, spay surgery removes cats’ risk of developing certain reproductive cancers! See our tips on Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for mother cats.
2. Leave Them Be™: Let mother cats raise their kittens
If kittens have their mother cat, Leave Them Be! That means allowing mom to raise her kittens in their outdoor home rather than bringing the kittens indoors or to an animal shelter. In shelters, young kittens are at the highest risk of being killed.
3. Support mother cats and kittens outdoors
Provide an outdoor shelter, with comfortable and dry bedding, near where mom is already raising her kittens. Feed mom regularly and feed her extra: she needs the calories as she nurses her kittens! Find outdoor shelter options.
4. Monitor mother cats and kittens
Keep an eye on the kittens over the next weeks to ensure they are growing on track! Watch for any signs of sickness or injury, and contact a veterinarian immediately if you spot something of concern.
Our Kitten Protection Guide will help you determine if kittens are growing on track! If you believe mom or kittens are sick or injured, we have a guide on steps to help.