Desperate and scared, a tiny furry family was crammed into two pet carriers and left on the sidewalk outside a pet clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada, on a scorching day.
They had no way to escape, so the mama and her three babies cried out for help. However, since it was Labor Day, most of the nearby businesses weren’t operating.
It seemed like nobody would hear the desperate cries of the mother and her kittens.
Fortunately, a staff member at Homeward Bound Cat Adoptions spotted the carriers just as she was locking up the shelter door.
Worried that someone might need help, she decided to check it out.
Furry Family Needs Help
Once the staff member approached the carriers, she discovered a note written on a torn piece of paper that said: “I sorry. Good kitty girl. No $. Please help.”
She peered inside and was stunned to see a mama cat and her three kittens, panting from the heat.
The staff member rushed them inside right away.
“We immediately brought the carriers inside our adoption center. While they were panting and hot, they thankfully weren’t in an emergency situation,” Kimberly Wade, marketing manager for Homeward Bound Cat Adoptions, told The Dodo.
Luckily, the mama cat and her babies cooled down quickly once inside. The staff assumed that they hadn’t spent a lot of time in the sun.
Wade explained that the panting was most likely caused by the stress of being abandoned combined with the heat.
The family was taken to the vet and was found to be in good health. The mother was skinny, which wasn’t surprising considering that she was nursing her babies.
The cats were adorable and affectionate, making it clear that they had lived in a home.
The mama was scanned for a microchip, but she didn’t have it.
Since the seven-week-old kittens weren’t yet weaned, the family needed to move in with a foster family.
That’s when a foster parent named Ellen Richter stepped in. The kind woman happened to stop by the shelter to pick up medication for another pet just as the furry family was brought in. Richter considers it a fateful encounter.
“I do believe it was fate. I had been trying to get to the shelter a few times that weekend, and my schedule was too chaotic,” Richter told The Dodo.
The moment Richter saw them, she agreed to take them in.
A Bright Future Ahead
At first, the kittens were so timid and scared that they didn’t want to explore their foster home. Instead, they curled up in their carrier, seeking comfort from each other.
The mother, named Italia Ristretto, was different. She was social and asked for attention. The cat, who wasn’t even a year old, was active and energetic, and loved climbing and playing.
When Italia Ristretto went to the vet to complete her spaying procedure, Richter thought that the kittens would withdraw even more.
However, she was surprised when she noticed them becoming more courageous with each passing day.
They started realizing that they could trust their foster mom.
“They actually did well. As I started to sit in the room and talk to them, they climbed into my lap and sat beside me,” Richter added.
Italia Ristretto is recovering from her spay surgery and microchipping at the Las Vegas shelter. Before long, she will be ready to start looking for her place under the sun.
The kittens are thriving and showing their personalities.
“The kittens don’t miss her, are eating on their own and doing fine. [They] are just young enough that they are still figuring out who they are, but so far, they are silly, clumsy, curious, playful, intrigued and shy,” Wade shared.
You can follow the kittens’ adventures on Instagram where Richter often shares updates about them. Two kittens have built their confidence and started exploring their surroundings. The smallest kitten is still timid and needs reassurance.
Richter likes to wrap her in a blanket and cuddle her gently. The kitten is gradually learning to trust humans.
The kittens may have had a rough start in life, but thanks to kind humans, their future will be bright and they’ll have a life filled with love.