Events

It's a dramatic tale of unwanted Siamese kittens rejected by their mother and desperately in need of nurture. Meanwhile also in care is a young Bengal mother raising her own brood. Will she accept the desperate kittens despite having her own mouths to feed?

As you can see by the photo the Bengal mum generously accepted the unexpected extra brood to her basket. But how did it all happen?

"It's been a bit of a crazy week here at Reading and District Cats Protection," says volunteer Yola Mealing.

She adds: "The other day we were contacted by our colleagues at the RSPCA who desperately needed to find a safe haven for a new Siamese mother cat and her three remaining kittens (originally six were born, but three of the smallest didn't survive)."

Sadly it's not unusual for animal charities to receive calls about unwanted pet families in need. But the problem was that as a result of a trauma during birth and an emergency caesarean the mother had completely rejected her newborn kittens.

Reading & District Cats Protection co-ordinator Linda Richards lept into action and began to hand-rear the newborn kittens, despite knowing full well this would involve several weeks of sleepless nights and two-hourly feeds.

With the babies secured in the warm conservatory having been hand-fed some milk, Linda had a brainwave.

Yola says: "Upon doing the feeding rounds in her rehoming pens later that day it dawned on Linda that she had a nursing Bengal queen in one of the pens who was happily feeding her brood of week old kittens....what if, just what if?"

Carefully, Linda brought one of the babies out to the Bengal mum and put it in with the older kittens.

The three older kittens moved aside a little and made room for the babe to suckle from their mum. Success!

Quickly the remaining kittens were brought out to the mother cat whose family had suddenly doubled in size.

Yola says: "The Bengal mum took to her enlarged family like a duck to water!"

She adds: "She is currently to be found reclining with a mass of small, furry, wriggling kittens beneath her – earth mother extraordinaire.

"We love happy endings!"

The Bengal mum has set the example of how to adopt a pet who needs a home.

All the kittens mentioned here are now spoken for, however if you would like to offer a new life to one of the many other cats currently looking for a permanent home, ring Cats Protection on 08707 708 649 to be directed to your local branch or email: