A young cat found a second chance and began a new adventure that changed the course of her kittens' lives.
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Best Friends Felines and several fellow animal rescues joined forces to help a colony of cats, many of which had been abandoned there. A gentleman was the sole caretaker for these felines but desperately needed help.
Among the ones Best Friends Felines took in, Cherish, the tabby, was heavily pregnant at just six months old. She was starved and underweight and came up to her rescuers, ready to be cherished.
Over the next few days, Cherish filled her belly to the brim with each feast. Her body began to fill out, and her belly grew steadily.
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She embarked on a new chapter in the comfort of a foster home, where she had a cozy nursery, soft blankets, and nourishing meals. She no longer had to compete with others for resources and could relax with her carer, enjoying the tranquility of a home.
When she went into labor, she astounded her people with her large litter - seven out of the eight kittens survived and thrived.
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"Initially, Cherish was a bit overwhelmed by so many little ones to care for, but over the week, she has got it down pat and is now a totally devoted momma," Best Friends Felines shared.
"We are so glad we managed to get Cherish into care so she could have her babies (her last litter) in a safe place."
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During the first week, Cherish needed more help than expected. She developed stomach troubles, which affected her appetite. "For such a tiny cat to sustain seven hungry growing kittens, she needs to eat a heap of food."
When they noticed the kittens started losing weight, they leaped into action.
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They took the mother cat to the vet and began treatment to restore her appetite and get her health back on track. Meanwhile, they supplemented all seven kittens around the clock, making sure they had enough to eat every day.
With the intervention, the kittens began gaining again, waving their little legs in the air with newfound strength.
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"They know I'm the food lady, so as soon as I go into their room, they start making their way towards me for the extra formula feeds."
With tender loving care and a good diet, Cherish improved significantly. She still required assistance and bottle feeding twice daily to ensure all her babies continued to grow. "The little ones have found their feet and are starting to move around a lot."
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"They are learning how to walk and tackle their siblings. They just don't like to keep still."
At five weeks old, the kittens reached the stage where they began learning to eat from a dish and use the litter box. As they became more independent, Cherish started spending more me-time in higher spots, out of their reach.
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"With seven little ones, that's not surprising."
"The kittens are growing wonderfully and are the most beautiful, social, and cutest babies you could ever meet. However, they are now minions of chaos. Cherish is brilliant with them, but you can also tell she's a little bit over being a momma."
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"Daily cleaning of their kitten room is a must - sweeping and mopping the floor, changing litter trays, and washing blankets. They have now got real personalities."
Thanks to their rescuers, the kittens will grow up never knowing hunger and fear. Cherish enjoys her new life indoors, ready to be spoiled and to play like a carefree kitten again.
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