Four kittens moved into our home for the first time. One was half the size it should be, but she kept pushing.
ryetracy
A stray cat gave birth to four kittens and was desperate for a safe place. Volunteers from animal rescue group Cat Tales quickly arrived and rescued the family.
They set up a quiet space for wild mothers where they can comfortably care for their young. With enough food and all the amenities in place, the kittens began to grow, safe from the harsh elements of the outdoors.
“At about six weeks old, we noticed that the kittens were quite small,” Tracy, an experienced foster parent at Cat Tales, told Love Meow.
pumpernickel, rye, croutonstracy
The rescue team asked Tracy to feed the kittens extra food. The wild mother was spayed and officially retired from motherhood.
A small family of four can comfortably fit in the bed. “The kittens were small, and Rye was a kitten.”
rye is leftover from the garbagetracy
“The first two weeks were up and down. Rai and his sister Kruton needed additional dietary support.”
At 6 weeks old, Rye was about the same size as a 2-3 week old kitten. Eating and gaining weight was a challenge for the runt, and he couldn’t afford to lose even a few grams. Her sister Crouton was also fighting for her life right next to her.
From top to bottom: sourdough, croutons, pumpernickel, rye.tracy
Tracy syringe-fed the kittens who needed extra help and worked around the clock to make sure they got over the hump.
Her hard work paid off, and Rai and Crouton regained their strength, and one day they got out of bed full of energy. Despite his small stature, Rai had a fierce spirit and was determined to live life to the fullest.
tracy
Rai snuggled up in a soft blanket with his adoptive mother, soaking up the love and gentle caresses.
Her small body makes her ears look adorable and big, like Yoda’s. She has a force to be reckoned with. “She’s very small and fragile, but she keeps going hard. I’m hoping she’ll catch up. She has a zest for life.”
Pumpernickel, the only boy, has bat ears.tracy
Tuxedo Pumpernickel is the only boy among the children. He lets his sisters wrestle and nibble at his beard without resisting. All he wants is affection from both humans and the family cat.
As soon as he snuggles up with his adoptive mother, he melts into a puddle of bliss as if nothing was wrong. “Pumpernickel is the love bug of the group. He’s kind and gentle.”
Rye is small but mightytracy
“Sourdough is the loudest. She tells everyone to come pick her up. Croutons is very strong. She was weak, but she was fighting to live. She felt better and was able to help herself. They fed me with a syringe until I could eat.”
“Rye are small breeds. Quiet and small, but strong. They are adorable and never complain. Their favorite thing to do is to climb on top of the person they sit with, giving them love and hurt. It’s about stooping down to ask.”
rye and croutonstracy
Slowly but surely, Rai is growing into her radar ears. She watches the humans from her couch and listens to their voices. She listens intently and captivates everyone in front of her.
Growing up in foster care, he is finally making steady progress and becoming more active every day.
tracy
Rai and his siblings love their human companions and are always curled up in their laps, ready for the adventures life brings.
tracy
Please share this story with your friends. For more information about fostering kittens and Tracy, please visit Instagram@sweet_foster_kitties and Cat story @cattalesinc.
Related article: Kittens show everyone they’re perfect and when they arrive at the animal shelter, they want to be held all day long
