05/22/2026
Three days ago we moved Wrigley's babies to help better socialize them with humans. They were weaned and ready for the next step. But was Wrigley? She seemed a little lost without them that first day, and our hearts broke a little watching her look around for her babies. She had done such an incredible job raising and growing her little litter that we began to wonder if she might want to do it all over again.
It's actually a rare thing for us to have a mama cat in our care at all. As a neonate rescue, the bulk of our rescues are tiny orphans, bottle babies who are fully dependent on humans from the moment they arrive. And that dependence shapes them. Bottle babies grow into cats who seek humans out, who need that connection, who expect their people to show up. It's one of the reasons our rescues are so extra special, and why they often require a little more from their families. They're not just used to humans. They were raised by them. They trust completely, love deeply, and lean on their humans in a way that kittens raised by a mother cat simply don't.
But mama's milk and mama's care in those first few weeks? There is simply no substitute when it comes to building strong, healthy bodies. So when we have the rare gift of a nursing mother in our group, we think carefully about how to give babies the very best of both worlds. Let mama give them the strongest possible start with her milk, her warmth, her instincts, and then as they move into those critical 5 to 10 weeks where socialization matters most, we make sure they are also learning that humans are safe, that humans show up, and that humans can be fully trusted.
Mama Wrigley came to us after being trapped by one of our favorite veterinarians who had planned to let her raise her babies at Whitestone Animal Hospital until they were ready for adoption. We suggested one of our homes might be a better fit, made an exception to our usual neonate focus, and welcomed her in.
About two weeks before Wrigley's own babies were ready to be weaned, we got a call about five kittens found in a field alongside two deceased siblings. The person who found them placed them in a box on their porch, and there they stayed, two full days in the heat, alone, until word reached us. We made the call immediately and sent for them. Twelve hours later, just shy of midnight, they arrived- cold, hungry, and truly fighting to stay alive.
Dehydrated, emaciated, riddled with fleas, worms, and upper respiratory infections. Their little bodies so depleted that just getting them hydrated enough to begin feeding them was a battle in itself. We worked through the night and into the days that followed.
Eleven days later, each of them is 100 grams or more heavier, breathing easily, still scrappy but here. Their fur still carries the discoloration that comes from malnutrition and yeast overgrowth. We are still working on firming up their poops, but we are getting there. They have had the best formula, food, supplements, and medications we can give them. But nothing, NOTHING, compares to the healing power of fresh, warm mama cat made milk.
So. Enter Mama Wrigley.
The day after her own kittens left, we introduced her to the five. No pressure. No forcing. We simply gave her the opportunity to tell us what she wanted. Was she ready to be a mama all over again, or was she done? The choice was completely hers. And she was just as clear as she was quick.
Tonight we look on as Wrigley has claimed these five battered, beautiful little fighters, plus one extra micro-preemie we took in around the same time, as entirely and completely her own.
She didn't have to do this. Her babies were grown, her job was done, and nobody would have blamed her for taking the rest she had more than earned. But when we set her near six scrawny, struggling kittens, she looked them over and didn't hesitate for long. She didn't stumble into motherhood a second time. She chose it. Six babies who had already been through so much will go to sleep tonight full and warm, tucked against a mama who decided they were worth showing up for.
A special thank you to our dear friends Anna and Pamela at the Crosswinds INN, whose generous donation today is sponsoring this little mound of kittens and so many others in our care. They have been with us through so much this past year, and their support has been lifesaving. When we watch Wrigley pull six struggling strangers close and decide they are worth fighting for, we think of people like Anna and Pamela, who do the very same thing for us, and through us, for every single one of these babies. Community looks a lot like that. Like choosing to care even when it isn't required. Like showing up because someone needs you to. We are so honored to have their support and care.
