A former stray cat hovers over her only kitten everywhere he goes.
Early July, a pregnant stray was found and brought to Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington D.C.. The cat was just skin and bones and in active labor. Due to complications, only one kitten survived the birth.
Susie H., a volunteer, stepped up to foster the mother (Shauna) and son (Shane) duo so they could have a quiet, safe and clean place to recover and grow.
The cat mom was not producing milk for the first three weeks. Susie took on the round-the-clock bottle feedings while Mama Shauna supervised the process.
"It was both endearing and heartbreaking to see such a young cat trying to be a mom but not quite able to do it all. But together we're caring for Shane as a team," Susie told Love Meow.
Mama Shauna received medication for a stomach bug that had been bothering her. The next day, Susie woke up to find her caring for her kitten, both purring up a storm.
As soon as Shauna felt a little better, she jumped right back into being a doting mom, grooming her precious baby from head to toe.
Shane who never purred when Susie cleaned him, switched on his purr motor when Mama Shauna gave him a bath. "It made my heart fill up," Susie said.
Over the next few days, Shauna's health continued to improve and all her mother instincts came out strong. She would wrap her body around her baby to cuddle him while he purred himself to sleep.
She gained a lot of healthy weight and became a super attentive mom to her kitten.
"She now bathes him regularly, allows him to suckle whenever he wants, responds to his cries, and cuddles him constantly with only short sojourns out of the nest," Susie wrote.
She hovers over her baby everywhere around the house. If Shane wanders off a bit, the protective mother will come running and bring him back to the nest.
"Mama Shauna is so attentive to her baby. She lets me take him out to feed him, but she keeps a close eye on us, hovering. As soon as we're done and he lets out a mew, she calls back to him and then takes him out of my hands to bring him back to the nest."
Three weeks after his birth, Shauna's milk finally came in, and Shane decided he would no longer need bottles.
Watch Shauna and her kitten in this cute video:
The sweet cat mom has fully recovered and really blossomed.
Shauna taught her kitten how to play with toys and cheered him on when he started eating from a plate on his own.
"Not only is she thriving as a Mama since getting over her bug, she's also starting to shine as a curious, sweet, fun cat."
"I would really like to see these two adopted together. They are both super sweet and fun, equal parts playful and cuddly," Susie said.
"Shauna loves nothing more than a head butt, and Shane will immediately come and sit next to or on you if you sit down within spitting distance of him."
They will never have to worry about food and shelter. The loving momma purrs nonstop having her baby by her side.
Share this story with your friends. They will be ready for adoption mid-September. Follow updates on Shauna and Shane on Instagram.
Related story: Cat Who Spent Most of His Life on the Street, Helps Orphaned Kittens In Need