A cat named Savannah arrived at Be Their Voice Animal Rescue (in Atlanta, GA) in desperate need of help. She was just skin and bones, malnourished, struggling with a host of health issues, and heavily pregnant.
“We weren’t sure how long we had until delivery, but we were hoping to get her well before she gave birth,” Aimee Eldridge, the rescue’s chief operating officer, shared with Love Meow.
Despite all the odds stacked up against her, Savannah remained calm and reassured as if she knew she was safe.
In just two days, Savannah went into labor and gave birth to a litter of five. She immediately dove into mommy duties and provided undivided attention to her babies.
The next day, things suddenly took a turn for the worse when the kittens started to decline. Savannah was so frail that she had to stay overnight at the hospital.
She slowly regained strength, but didn’t start eating until she was back with her kittens. “She gulped down a can of food faster than I’ve ever seen a cat eat.”
Despite their painstaking care and best efforts to save the litter, Tybee (tabby kitten) sadly lost his siblings due to an infection. They took one day at a time while doing everything they could to help him pull through, and he did.
“He was strong and fighting back, and the next day, he was still with us. I stayed guarded for a good week, but he was proving he was going to make it,” Aimee shared with Love Meow.
Tybee began putting on weight and gaining energy with excellent care from Savannah and bottle feedings from Aimee (since the cat mom had no milk) – it was team work.
While Tybee was taking the bottle, Savannah was waiting for clean-up duty. She sometimes washed his face in the middle of his feeding, so she could sneak a snack herself.
Around that time, a lone one-week-old kitten was rescued from traffic at an intersection. His eyes were still closed, and he urgently needed to be cared for around the clock.
Aimee took him on right away to give him the best chance at life. “As soon as Savannah heard this kitten squeak, she was frantic to get to him. It’s as though she needed that baby.”
When Aimee brought the little orphan to the cat mom, she started cleaning him and doting on him as her own. Aimee took on feeding duty while Savannah provided comfort and grooming.
The little newcomer, George, wiggled into Savannah’s arms and snuggled alongside his big brother Tybee. “The family was happy as furry little clams.”
As Tybee grew, he would scamper around the place, create all sorts of antics, and play until he tired out.
No matter where he went, he would always end up back with his mama in a cuddle-puddle. “Tybee is very playful, and so is Savannah. Their fluffy tails are a force to be reckoned with.”
Tybee and Savannah share an incredible bond and can’t be separated.
When they were ready for adoption, the rescue hoped to find them a loving home together. After almost a year in foster care, last month, the duo headed their way to their forever home.
Savannah and Tybee fought an incredible fight together and helped another kitten along the way. Now, George is thriving and ready to find a place of his own.
“Tybee and Savannah are forever bonded. Their new mama is incredible and I couldn’t be happier for them. They are going to have an amazing life, being pampered and loved every hour of the day.”
