It was freezing cold, but thankfully, the resident rescued both cats and gave them a warm home to have their babies. On Christmas Eve 2021, the first cat gave birth to three kittens, and was quickly followed by the second on Christmas Day who gave birth to another four.
The member of the public who had taken them in called us, and we quickly sent one of our animal welfare officers to collect all nine cats!
They all needed names quickly, so it was decided to name them after well-known pizzas. Introducing: Romana and Florentine (mums), Oregano, Meatball, Pepperoni, Calzone, Napoletana, Pineapple, Margarita!
Though we tried to make them as comfortable as possible, both new mums were stressed in our cattery. They became very defensive of their young brood. Our cat welfare coordinator soon realised they’d be better off with one of our wonderful foster carers, and so got in touch to begin making arrangements.
When we called Nicola from North Kensington, who’s been a foster carer with us since August 2021, she was understandably a little nervous:
“I was a little nervous about taking so many cats in one go…the most I’ve ever taken is five. I was a little concerned about their behaviour at the cattery and how they would be with me. I need not have worried, any concerns I had about taking them in just melted away as soon as they arrived.”
“Within an hour of being here, Florentine and Romana were out of hiding and quickly getting comfortable in my house. The kittens were immediately full of curiosity and exploring everywhere.”
“The cats have been here for six weeks now. Their play den is in my kitchen and they have so many toys, courtesy of some very kind people on Freecycle. Seeing the two mums work together is an absolute joy, they co-parent and are so close – they even sleep together. In fact, after they have put the kittens to bed at night, they both come out and watch TV with me.”
“The support that I get from Mayhew is amazing. Looking after nine cats, as well as working, can be a little tiring!! But the staff at the charity are always on the end of the phone if ever I need some help. I’ll be very sad to see them go as they’ve brought me so much joy but my job as foster carer is almost over. My wish is for each of them to find loving and forever homes so they can bring joy to others. ”
The family will be available for rehoming at the beginning of March. If you’re interested in offering them their forever home, please keep an eye out and apply online when you see them listed! You can also sign up for cat alerts too.
“We think that the mothers are, in fact, mother and daughter, as there’s such closeness between them. Because of this close bond, they co-nurse together beautifully. Both are young adults and in great health and their kittens are developing really well. The love, time and attention that Nicola has given to each cat will make affectionate and wonderful pets. ”
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