It was a gloomy, rainy morning when a faint cry led us to a storm drain at the edge of the neighborhood. The sound was weak but desperate, barely audible over the pouring rain. Curious and concerned, we carefully approached, and what we found broke our hearts — a mother cat, clearly poisoned and struggling to move, curled around three tiny, shivering kittens.
Her eyes were dull, her breathing labored, yet her instincts were strong — she was shielding her babies from the cold and the rising water. One kitten was crying nonstop, another was too weak to move, and the third clung tightly to its mother’s soaked fur. The drain was narrow and filthy, and the water level was slowly rising. We knew we had to act fast.
We called for help and, without hesitation, climbed down with gloves, towels, and a carrier. It was a tight and dangerous space, but there was no other option. The mother cat, though weak, didn’t resist. She seemed to understand we were there to help. One by one, we gently lifted the kittens out and placed them into the dry carrier, wrapping them in warm cloth.
The mother was last. Her body trembled, and she could barely keep her head up, but she looked back once more at her babies before we lifted her out. Time was critical. We rushed them all to the nearest emergency vet.
Blood tests confirmed the worst: the mother had ingested poison, likely from something left carelessly or maliciously in the neighborhood. Fortunately, the kittens had not yet been affected. The vet immediately began treatment to flush the toxins from her system and stabilize her condition.
Hours passed. We waited with bated breath. Finally, the vet returned with a hopeful smile — she was responding. Slowly but surely, she was fighting back.
Today, this brave mother cat and her kittens are recovering in a warm foster home. Her strength and love saved her babies — and together, we saved them all.
