It’s a well-known phenomenon that feral animals display a remarkable instinct for protecting their newborns by seeking refuge in unconventional and, at times, less secure locations.
So, when people heard soft cries coming from a tube of insulation in an abandoned trailer, they immediately called rescuers for help.
Their prompt call for help proved crucial, as the astonishing discovery within the insulation tube left everyone present in a state of profound shock.
Unexpected Discovery
According to the volunteers, the abandoned trailer was in a state of complete disarray, making it exceptionally challenging to pinpoint the source of the cries amid the overwhelming mess.
After carefully moving and checking everything, the volunteers (Angela DiPilla and Sharon Sponheimer) heard a faint cry coming from a heap of discarded insulation tubes.
“They began moving the tubes and found the kittens deep inside one of them,” Pat Maloney, executive vice president of The Pet Adoption and Lifecare Society, told The Dodo.
The four kittens, wet and cold, faced a dire situation, with one already having succumbed. Urgency surrounded the imperative task of bringing them to safety and warmth for their well-being.
The Pet Adoption and Lifecare Society (PALS), one of the largest cat rescues in the Philadelphia area, agreed to take in the feral mom and her four newborn babies.
The cat mama put up quite a fuss while getting trapped, but the expertise of two highly-trained trappers prevailed, and the whole family was safely transported to PALS.
“It was late and foster coordinator Sharon O’Toole Plichta swung into action immediately and got mama and babies settled into a nesting box in the shelter with lots of food and cover for the night,” the shelter wrote on their Instagram.
Mama was then vaccinated, treated for fleas, and dewormed in hopes that the babies would continue to nurse and recover from being cold and living in an insulation tube.
Taking Care Of The Little Family
Finally, the little family was safe and warm in a soft nesting box that was securely covered to provide a sense of complete safety in their newfound environment.
Caring for the feral mama proved challenging, as she was still terrified of humans.
“When their eyes opened, they had mild eye infections, which is common in kittens coming from less-than-ideal circumstances. They were started on medications to treat them and are doing very well. Mama is terrified of humans, so she is encouraged to leave the nesting box when we need to handle them, but at this stage, we handle them as little as possible to keep her calm and feeling safe,” Pat Maloney told The Dodo.
The little family still had a long road ahead of them, but the important thing was that they were now safe at the shelter in Philadelphia, surrounded by caring individuals who looked after them.
If it hadn’t been for the people who called for help after hearing the cries, who knows if they would have survived at all.