On a small patch of grass in Memphis, Tennessee, a mother cat kept watch over a plastic storage tub. Inside were her kittens — sealed in, helpless and crying. Unable to free them herself, the devoted mama did the only thing she could.
She stayed.
Someone eventually noticed the heartbreaking scene and called Mitchell Animal Hospital, which immediately sprang into action.
“We contacted our trusted rescue partner, Purrfect Match Cat Rescue, and told them, ‘Please pull them — we’ll take them,’” Stephanie Preston, adoption and rescue coordinator at Mitchell Animal Hospital, told The Dodo. “When our partner arrived, they found Momma lying right beside the bucket, staying as close as possible to her babies and protecting them the best she could.”
As the rescuer approached, another detail made the scene even more astonishing: The mama cat was missing both of her back paws. Despite her disability, she never left her kittens’ side.
Inside the tub were five kittens. They were dirty and dehydrated, but noticeably well-fed — a sign they hadn’t been abandoned long. Tragically, two of the kittens didn’t survive. The rescuer quickly gathered the surviving family and rushed them to safety.
Now in the care of Purrfect Match Cat Rescue, the family is thriving and will soon be transferred into Mitchell Animal Hospital’s rescue and adoption program in Kingston, New Hampshire. The resilient mama has been named Kenna — and she’s been nothing short of remarkable.
“She’s absolutely incredible,” Preston said. “We believe her injuries are old, possibly from past trauma or something she was born with. But she’s adapted beautifully. She walks, balances and even plays with her kittens like any other mom. She’s fully litter-box trained, gentle and unbelievably resilient.”
Perhaps most surprising of all, Kenna is estimated to be just about a year old herself.
“She’s really just a baby raising babies,” Preston added.
The three surviving kittens — two boys and a girl — are named Kyle, Lyle and Kayle. Kyle and Lyle already have a family waiting to adopt them together. Kenna, too, has an adoption pending with a veterinarian in New Hampshire.
That leaves sweet Kayle, who is still waiting for someone to choose her — though her rescuers are confident her turn will come soon.
Not long ago, this little family was left discarded like trash. Today, they’re safe, loved and surrounded by people who refused to look away.
If you’re interested in adopting Kayle, you can email mitchelladopt@gmail.com.
You can follow Mitchell Animal Hospital on Facebook to keep up with stories like Kenna’s. You can also support these rescues by donating to Purrfect Match Cat Rescue.
