Hughie’s Family

Hughie was a stray kitten who ended up at animal control. Scared and all alone, he was considered “feral” and not adoptable. He went to a foster home to attend kitten school so he could learn to be held and cuddled and become a regular house cat.

But Hughie was still scared stiff, and the lessons never really took hold until Carmelita and her family joined Hughie in his foster home.

Carmelita was a stray who spent the summer outside and gave birth to kittens in the fall near a busy business center. Just before the first snow, a concerned passerby came across Carmelita trying to lead two of her kittens away from all the people and to safety—across a busy road at rush hour! It took several hours, then two nights, and lots of tricks, but we were able to trap the two babies and mom with no one getting hurt in the street. We couldn’t find the last kitten so, sadly, Carmelita arrived at her foster home with only two.  

Immediately, Carmelita accepted Hughie as her kitten (he is the right color). Despite the fact that he was twice the size of her kittens and no longer needed to nurse, she groomed and nursed him.

Hughie's attitude completely changed once he had a family again. He is still somewhat shy but now likes to be held and to purr and play with us. He has so much fun wrestling with his new siblings. It’s sad to think of the circumstances by which this little guy was separated from his family and left all alone in an impound cage long before he was ready to grow up.

A week after Carmelita’s family joined Hughie, we were miraculously able to find and trap Carmelita’s third, last, long-lost kitten. Somehow this scrappy little girl managed to survive a week of winter camping all on her own and avoid being seen by anyone. The reunion with mom and the siblings was happy.  

At first, I worried that Hughie might become the odd man out. Instead Hughie was the most excited of all to see his new sister. It was as if he had heard all about her and was so glad she was finally there and that his family was now even bigger.  He groomed and groomed her. Here she is!

It would be so sweet if Hughie could find a home with his adopted sister (or mom… or both!). Having a family has made a world of difference for Hughie. It has been amazing to watch this little family. Every day brings new surprises with how they interact with each other and with people. Carmelita could not be a better, more patient mother to this rambunctious troop. She is just a little kitten herself and so sweet with people that she deserves to find a forever home, where she can get all the attention she deserves, very soon. She is now ready to go to a foster or forever home with no other resident cats (unless her own kittens).

 

 

To hear more about adopting Carmelita, her kittens, or Hughie so you can watch some of this amazing family in action, call Molly at 651-295-3758 or email outreach@felinerescue.org.