Frankie the cat, has had a rough start to life after being found on the roadside while pregnant and extremely ill. Fortunately, she was taken into a cat rescue and fostered before giving birth.
However, it was a far-from-smooth labor as the cat was suffering from an aggressive virus. Frankie was forced to have an emergency cesarean section and sadly lost two of her kittens.
Barb Hun, 52, a devoted foster carer, told Newsweek about the traumatic ordeal and unexpected twist that occurred the next day. The surprising turn was shared on TikTok (@felinefosterfun) and has racked up more than 328,000 views in three days.
Hun from Quincy, Illinois, said: “The morning after the kittens were born, the Cuddle Cat Rescue in Hannibal, Missouri, received a message about a barn cat who had four kittens on the same day as Frankie.
“Something happened to the kitten’s mother and she was nowhere to be found. There were four kittens, but when the lady found them, only two were still alive as it was very cold outside.”
Hun agreed to take in the orphaned kittens and hoped Frankie would adopt them. She filmed their initial meeting.
“It was an immediate success,” she told Newsweek. “Frankie is also very loving and gentle so I did not believe she would hurt them, but again, I was right there to make sure she would not.”
The viral footage shows Frankie embracing the kittens and sniffing them. It isn’t long until she takes them under her wing and cuddles up to them, while her three surviving babies also sleep by her side.
Hun said: “Frankie does not discriminate between the kittens. She acts like she gave birth to all of them.
“In fact, it seems that Benjamin, one of the adopted babies, is going to be mama’s shadow. It is rare that he is not snuggled up with her. He is a definite mama’s boy!”
The cat lover added that her motivation behind creating a social-media account was to assist the rescue center and foster homes in securing more donations.
“We struggle each month to provide great care for our furry residents,” Hun said. “We ensure our cats receive exceptional care, but it comes with a significant cost.”
Can Cats Nurse Kittens That Aren’t Their Own?
Newsweek reached out to veterinarian Anna Foreman to find out if there are any risks involved with cats feeding kittens that aren’t biologically theirs.
Foreman, who works for Everypaw Pet Insurance in the U.K., said: “A dog or cat who is a new mom can provide the perfect foster for kittens or puppies in need of nurture. Colostrum (first milk), warmth, comfort and a teacher are what all newborn kittens and puppies require.
“Aside from rejection and possible aggression, which tends to be seen quite quickly when foster kittens or puppies are introduced to a new mom, there is no health risk to fostering, and is much more beneficial than being hand-reared,” Foreman added.
What Do the Comments Say?
So far, the heartwarming video has amassed more than 52,200 likes and over 400 comments.
“Her acceptance was really when her paw started air biscuits,” posted one user, while another wrote: “Mom is like ‘these things smells weird but I accept.’”
A third commenter added: “Sitting here crying over sweet Frankie an her babies. Animals are just so pure.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The post Cat Heartbroken After Losing Two of Her Babies—Then Foster Mom Gets a Call appeared first on Newsweek.