A volunteer went to an animal shelter to pick up kittens but came home with a cat that needed her help.
Josephine and her kittensJennifer
Jennifer, a volunteer for Humane Society for Hamilton County, went to the shelter, thinking she would bring home a few kittens to foster.
She came across a heavily pregnant cat named Josephine, who was expected to give birth any day. The shelter environment became increasingly stressful for her, and she urgently needed a foster home.
Josephine gazed at Jennifer with pleading eyes as she stopped to check on her. “I went to pick up a litter of kittens and walked out with her instead,” Jennifer shared with Love Meow.
Jennifer
Shortly after arriving at her foster home, Josephine seemed relieved and plopped down on the floor for a stretch and belly rubs. She was delighted to find toys strewn about and started wrestling with them with a kitten-like spirit.
“She was very social and friendly from the start. She settled right into the foster room.”
She quickly settled into her foster homeJennifer
While at the shelter, the weight of the stress caused Josephine to weaken and sneeze, but that quickly subsided after moving into a home. She was pleased with the plentiful supply of towels and blankets and began rearranging them.
“She’s been playing a little but is also getting lots of rest. I’m thankful she’s not outside in her condition. Between the heat/humidity, thunderstorms, and constant fireworks going off, it would be a really scary time for her if she was.”
Jennifer
On July 6th, Josephine went into labor and brought three healthy kittens into the world.
Named Cannellini or Lini (tortie), Garbanzo (cream), and Pinto (ginger), these little beans came with voracious appetites and plenty of energy for their age. They constantly moved around the nest, squirming all over their mom.
She gave birth to three kittensJennifer
“When little Pinto gets a good latch, he does not let go. He sometimes hitches a ride with Mama, as he’s still latched on when she gets up to leave.”
Josephine takes multiple breaks to stretch, play, refuel, hydrate, or use the litter box, but the second the kittens make a peep, she rushes back to tend to them.
Jennifer
“She is protective of her babies and has been keeping them well fed and squeaky clean.”
At four days old, the kittens seemed to be a week ahead of schedule as their eyes started to open. “Their weights are way above average. They are super alert and mobile. My only guess is that Josephine was overdue when she finally gave birth.”
They started to open their eyes at around four days oldJennifer
Josephine relishes her free time when her kittens are sleeping. “She’s often out and about eating, resting, or playing with toys. Her appetite is insatiable.”
Garbanzo is the plumpest of the bunch, and Lini is the smallest. Pinto the ginger has the boldest attitude.
Jennifer
While Pinto’s eyes were still closed, he’d spit at any unfamiliar scents. Now that he can see, he screams at the top of his lungs whenever he’s picked up for his weigh-in.
All three kittens have rotund bellies, and they constantly roll around, moving their little legs in the air.
Jennifer
With a loving foster home, Josephine is able to raise her last litter in comfort.
When her kittens are old enough, she will happily retire from motherhood, playing all day and doing what she loves without a care in the world.
Jennifer
Share this story with your friends. More on Josephine, her kittens, and Jennifer’s fosters on Instagram.
Related story: Stray Cat Found a Safe Place and Had Kittens the Next Day, She Went on to Accept Others Who Needed a Mother