A litter of kittens was found in the cold, covered in ice. With the help of kind people, they are thriving to be the sweetest lap cats.
Penny Richards
A worker from a rural property in Virginia discovered a litter of kittens deserted in a small nest with no sign of the mom. They were covered in ice and cold to the touch. The kind lady immediately brought them inside and reached out to a TNR (trap-neuter-return) rescue group for help.
“The group contacted me via our rescue Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Mom was nowhere to be seen, and seeing as they had ice on them, she must have left soon after they were born,” Penny Richards, a foster volunteer of the rescue, told Love Meow.
The finder kept the kittens warm with a gentle heat source until help arrived. “They had such a strong will to live! They were icy, yet they were so persistent and full of life.”
Penny Richards
The five newborns survived the life-threatening conditions in the outdoors. It was nothing short of a miracle.
The kittens (named Jameson, Jäger, Kahlua, Hennessy, and Morgan) were placed in an incubator to stay warm and hydrated. Along with the comfy nest, they were given a comforting snuggle toy to keep them company.
Penny Richards
“They were very alert and took the bottle well, which was a huge relief. Two of them had bad bacterial infections in the gut, but they were doing well otherwise. By one week old, I knew they would be okay,” Penny shared with Love Meow.
After each feeding, the kittens insisted on getting a long snuggle session on a warm lap before heading back to the incubator. They figured out how to roll around on their backs, showing off their newly acquired chonky potbellies.
Penny Richards
Their eyes opened and ears began to perk up. The kittens became aware of their surroundings and increasingly curious about any moving object.
As soon as their legs were strong enough to support their bodies, they were on the move, waddling about. “Everyone was getting more active. They were walking around, rolling all over the place, and even starting to play with each other.”
Penny Richards
“It’s always amazing being able to watch babies grow and develop their hearing and eyesight,” Penny wrote.
They were obsessed with having lap time with their humans. By the time their eyesight was fully developed, they wouldn’t let an empty lap go un-warmed.
Penny Richards
“They were standing up taller and stronger, going for longer walks around the room at feeding time, and wobbling less with every passing day.”
Penny’s family members offered to help socialize the kittens. All five of them made a beeline over to Aaron, their little human friend, and snuggled up in his lap.
Penny Richards
If one kitten decided to crawl on a lap for a cuddle, the others quickly followed suit. It didn’t take long until the five formed an adorable pile, rumbling with their purrs.
After reaching one milestone after another, it was time for a suite upgrade.
Penny Richards
Penny had a helper on her shoulder whenever it was bottle time.
Morgan the bravest of all insisted on being her little supervisor while his siblings had their share of the formula.
As they grew bigger, their personalities began to emerge and their penchant for lap snuggles increased.
“They are huge snugglers and purr all the time. They are the sweetest little things,” Penny shared with Love Meow.
Penny Richards
After weeks of painstaking care, the two kittens who had bacterial issues, healed up nicely. As soon as they bounced back on their paws, they were hopping around with their unbridled energy, creating all sorts of antics.
When they hear their foster mom’s voice, they come running and trilling for attention and lap snuggles.
Penny Richards
Sometimes they prefer sitting on the lap, but other times, they opt for the crevice between the legs for some extra snugness.
The kittens continue their daily lap hogging routine as a clowder, living the best life.
Penny Richards
The crew will turn six weeks old this Friday. Hennessy is still the tiniest of the bunch but has reached the one pound mark.
The rest of the kittens are also growing by leaps and bounds and have learned to eat on their own like a pro.
Penny Richards
The five have come a long way since the day they were found outside covered in ice. They are thriving in foster care and well on their way to a bright future ahead of them.
Penny Richards
Share this story with your friends. Follow updates on the kittens and Penny’s fosters on Facebook and Instagram @fosterkittenacademy.
Related story: Kittens Wandered Up to Family’s Yard and Found Help Just in Time Before the Cold Winter