A mother cat was found in a boat with her kittens tucked beneath a seat. Through kindness, their lives completely transformed.
Minnow and her kittensCatz 4 Life
Two months ago, Aimee and her team at Catz 4 Life, an all-volunteer rescue group, received an email about a cat who had given birth inside a boat.
The kittens had been tucked away under a seat. When one of them sadly didn’t survive, it became clear the little family needed help. A foster volunteer from the rescue immediately set out to bring them to safety.
After a 90-minute drive, she arrived and secured the mother and her kittens inside a carrier.
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“Mom was so sweet and walked right into the carrier, as if she knew she was safe there with her babies,” Aimee shared with Love Meow.
Once in foster care, Aimee set up a cozy space in the bathtub for the little family. “That’s where I usually keep new moms and their babies because I can pull the curtain to give them a secluded space, so mom feels like she’s hidden and nobody can see them.”
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The mother cat, named Minnow, quickly blossomed into a love bug. She purred endlessly, rolled onto her back, and happily accepted belly rubs. Unlike most cats who tease with the “belly trap,” Minnow truly relished affection.
“There were three kittens, and I named them after Gilligan’s Island: Lovey, Gilligan, and Skipper. One girl and two boys.”
Lovey, Gilligan, and SkipperCatz 4 Life
With their mother’s love and devotion, the kittens grew stronger and more curious. Before long, they were toddling around their nest, leaning on one another as they learned to walk.
Though Minnow weighs only 7 to 8 pounds, she has a big heart and so much to give, and always tends to her babies’ every need.
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Gilligan was the first to open his eyes. Now, he’s a fluffy, chunky boy who eagerly joins in all his siblings’ antics. “I joke that he’s kind of a space cadet. There’s not a lot going on behind those eyes. He is just goofy.”
“Skipper is a little more skeptical, and he and Gilligan play a lot together.”
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Their journey hasn’t been without challenges. A few weeks ago, they faced a health scare, and little Lovey had to be rushed to the ER. “I wasn’t really confident she’d pull through, but she did. And she is back to her sassy self.”
With renewed energy, Lovey now leads her brothers into all sorts of mischief.
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Lovey, the bold little adventurer, explores every corner of the house, but as soon as she hears footsteps, she comes running to greet her people. Though she’s still catching up in size, she never runs short on spirit, always ready to stir up a little trouble.
“When I went to make the breakfast rounds, this is how I found Lovey and Skipper, and I may never recover.”
Lovey and SkipperCatz 4 Life
Thanks to the dedicated volunteers and the support of the community, Minnow and her kittens are thriving in foster care. The little ones are nearly ready to spread their wings, and Minnow, the doting mom, looks so proud of all they’ve accomplished.
With her kittens preparing for their next chapter, it’s finally Minnow’s turn to be loved and pampered.
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Share this story with your friends. More about this feline family and Catz 4 Life on Instagram and Facebook. Catz 4 Life partners with the Southwest Airlines Animal Transport Team to fly their cats to forever homes anywhere in the continental United States that Southwest serves.
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