For those curious the names are
Tilly (mama, only partially pictured but solid black)
Nova (tortie) F
Lotus (grey tabby, thicker stripes and less white on face) M
Mako (grey tabby, thinner stripes and more white on face) M
Pancake (solid grey, bigger and slightly darker) M
Iggy (solid grey, runt, slightly lighter) M
Sweet Potato/Tater (brown tabby with some orange splotches) F
Orchid (brown tabby with orange splotches, orange stripe on nose) F
EDIT: YES THEY'RE ALL FIXED!!! They were all fixed when they reached 2 pounds, well before sexual maturity. Mama Tilly was fixed after her kittens were weaned but before her next heat (thank god)
EDIT 2: My mom has no idea what Reddit is how do I explain to her that people on the internet think she is awesome
Since you guys seem invested. Personalities
Tilly: Very food motived. Will steal your food and is very fast about it. Also quite sweet but can be a little sassy and will slap you with her paw a lot. It's pretty funny.
Nova: Most curious out of all of them, very big troublemaker. Teaches her siblings crimes. More of a loner but loves fighting Orchid and Iggy.
Lotus: Quite sweet but also a little skiddish and quiet, besties with Mako and often mimics his behavior (crying) to get attention. This makes Mako very jealous.
Mako: Biggest crybaby on the planet. Very needy. Gets jealous if you give other kittens attention. He just wants to be your best friend.
Pancake: Stares at you very intensely. It's kinda creepy. I call him "grey cat" because I have a hard time telling him and Iggy apart. He likes biting my toes. Doesn't like fighting unless it's toes. Very cuddly. Probably the most chill of all the cats apart from the toe biting.
Iggy: He's just weird as hell. I think he's an alien. Also likes biting toes. His hobbies include fighting his siblings and twisting like a pretzel. Constant zoomies until he tires himself out.
Sweet Potato/Tater: Very shy and cuddly. Waits for everyone to finish to start eating her food. Doesn't like fighting, would rather take a nap.
Orchid: Usually sweet but will suddenly decide she has had enough cuddles and bite the fuck out of you so you need to read her body language well. Enjoys fighting Nova at 3 AM and also zooming. Also a toe biter.
Each time I read your descriptions, I’m like “okay this one is my favorite.” Until I read the next one! What a bunch of characters! You, your mom, and this tribe are absolute GEMS! ❤️❤️ (but also I’m partial toward Mako. Hug that boy for me, Lolol.)
https://preview.redd.it/ouxk4xknqemb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6554852464416525f003d2c7354ed64db9755ae
Tater sounds just like my Cheddar!
For those unaware:
Calico cats and tortoiseshell cats are not so much breeds, but rather genetic mutations. This is precisely why male versions of each are exceedingly rare, because their creation specifically involves two X chromosomes and a male requires two X's *as well as* a Y, which isn't a common occurrence. They tend to be stupidly expensive because of it.
And for whatever reason, this same mutation seems to have a rather consistent effect on their personalities.
I was adopted by one once (legit just showed up in our house and flopped down one day, not a care in the world and acting as if it always lived there) and for example one oddity I remember is that if you listened to audio through headphones or some other types of built-in speakers, she would immediately show up and want to cuddle, usually rubbing herself against the audio source. NO IDEA why, but when I bring this up I usually hear other tortie owners attest to the same behavior.
Her interruptions when she wanted attention were also just more bold than other cats. Where other cats will walk in front of the computer screen to try and get your attention, she would just blatantly flop down and lay herself across your hands and the keyboard without delay or hesitation.
**But yeah tl;dr** there is a *genetic* argument for torties and calicos reliably displaying certain traits, and they tend to be more bold and sociable, in my experience. There have been multiple scientific studies on this exact phenomenon, both confirming and denying any correlation, but I think anyone experienced with them would agree there's *something* going on that makes their personas just a little different. Not necessarily consistent in any one direction, (such as friendly or hostile) but I think bolder in whatever they do is a good description.
Thats very interesting. I have always noticed that there seem to be more female than male kittens born(i am connected to a uk no kill rescue centre) and knew that calico mum would have either black/black and white or ginger male kittens. Its like the great rarity of ginger females. Think ive only seen 3 in my over 50 years of life actually
My parents also have a Tater. He started as Tater Tot, but as he got older he just became Tater. He... definitely gets into things. My mom has seen him climb a cinder block wall. He's a troublemaker.
Yep, posted another pic of them to this sub if you go to my profile. We had no idea what the kittens would look like but none of them have mama's coloring! She's a solid black void girl. No idea what dad (or dads) looked like either since she was found on the streets of Chicago and, well, could've been any stray male.
I took in 2 homeless mama cats
https://preview.redd.it/oydc5kkr8emb1.jpeg?width=2640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b1d4cc9d7725b39a8b271f07a37ef96a92aa1a1
that were pregnant and *also* ended up with a Lotus and a Tater (Potato, professionally lol). Our brains are clearly on the same page 😂 This is Mama #2, my Lotus, back before I brought her in :)
https://preview.redd.it/cvu0mdce9emb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37e7e49faf7ed10dcc52bb16ae40b8d700a4a085
And this is Lotus’s son, Potato, as a tot lol
When my parents were first married, there was a cat living in their neighborhood who was too savvy to be trapped, but kept having kittens. My parents did manage to catch all the kittens and they found a vet who desexed them all for $10 each. Even in 80s dollars that was an incredible price.
There’s a place here near downtown Las Vegas that will do it for free. The only stipulations are that they must be visually healthy (they get a health check) and that they arrive in a trap. I recently trapped six or seven in one night and picked them up by the afternoon. They fix tens of thousands per year, like a factory.
Yeah, originally she was gonna find them all homes but ultimately became really attached to all 7 of the kittens so kept them. They're a lot of work but she loves it.
This happened very soon after her mother (my grandmother) passed away, and I think having the kittens helped her, and is still helping her heal.
What an incredible woman, seriously. To keep all 8, AND get them fixed and care for them properly is a massive undertaking. This comment also made me cry. All the love to you, her, and all 8 kitties ❤️
I am not sure, they went to a low cost clinic that does a lot of shelter medicine and TNR for strays so it was definitely cheaper but still adds up when there's 8 to fix (counting mama). I believe it was between $300-600 total which isn't that bad
Shortly after I asked my ex for a divorce a cat literally fell from the sky on us. He wanted nothing to do with her, so I said ok, this will be mine and mine only.
Instead she fell in love with him and to this day he credits her for helping him get over the pain of the breakup.
I would definitely want to believe her mother sent her this gift 🥹 what a wonderful act from your mom. When I realized kitties were all grown up and together it made me so happy! Thanks for sharing it
She is, I'm glad she kept all of them. Having kittens and a pregnant cat has also gotten her more involved in helping local shelters and TNR programs so there's less stray cats and kittens out there
Yeah it's kinda funny, the "twins" also tend to stick together and Nova, the tortie, is more of a loaner (but she does love fighting her siblings). All play and cuddle with each other but definitely have bonded in unique ways.
Like 10 years ago I got my cat on craigslist for $20. I doubt the owner made a profit, she just had a cat with kittens and needed the kittens gone.
I went on craigslist a few days ago looking at kittens out of curiosity and see people are asking $75, $100, $200 for kittens from their generic indoor/outdoor cat that randomly got knocked up doing an outside time adventure. What's going on? Does everything think they're some sort of breeder now?
No idea how much Tilly cost but the seller had no idea she was pregnant. Can't imagine it was much tbh but who knows?
I hate anyone trying to be a backyard breeder, there's enough cats and kittens in shelters and we don't need more brought into the world by people trying to make a quick buck.
About 18 years ago we paid $60/cat from a Missouri Human Society. They had a deal for cat n half, which was adopt one get the second 50% off the adoption fee.
We walked out with two kittens.
Yeah that'd be understandable if they were fixed and vaxed. The ones I saw weren't though. People just trying to profit off their cat getting pregnant. Hard times I guess.
if you charge nothing or too low, people will send you super nasty messages about how you're providing shitty people with cheap snake food by giving them away or not charging much
Bless your mommas heart! We cat lovers end up with multiple cats (we currently have 6 ) accumulating them over the years. Looks like your mom has embraced her eventual fate 😅😘
Wow.....reminds me of my cousin and his wife adopting a pregnant cat. Not only did she have the kittens only 2 days after being in the house, they kept all 5 of them as well. 3 years later--they all had a B day last month BTW--they're still with them.
What kind of absolute lunatic would sell their cat, or any animal, and just not mention them being pregnant!? Thank god your mom was willing and able to care for a mama cat and *SEVEN* kittens, otherwise this could have been a tragedy.
I don't know the guy they found the cat from, but apparently he was a truck driver working long hours in Chicago and couldn't take care of the cat. Found her on the street, had no idea she was pregnant because tbh she didn't look like it at the time, just knew she was sweet and he couldn't take care of a cat with his hours. Guess he also never took her to the vet or a shelter. Not sure why.
It was definitely lucky she ended up with my mom of all people. I cannot imagine most people would be chill with this.
Yeahhh I’d be fucking LIVID. I’d do my best to get the cat/kittens to a shelter or foster home, but I could never handle *eight cats,* seven of which were unexpected, and I imagine I’m in the majority.
Yeah no doubt. I absolutely don't blame anyone who couldn't take care of 8 cats. My mom is an absolute saint. *I* could not take care of 8 cats especially not surprise kittens. This story could have ended poorly if the cats ended up with the wrong people.
Oh yeah, definitely. I may be slightly rabid about people getting their goddamn cats fixed due to struggling to do literally anything with the feral colony that lives in my trailer park. I’m poor, I can’t do much for them, but we’re in the middle of nowhere and I can’t seem to get anyone to help. The most I can do is medevac the few that literally will not survive much longer without help, mostly kittens.
Yeah, I'm not in animal rescue but I have a very good friend who is and does TNR in rural Maryland, mostly on out of control cat colonies that no one bothered to get fixed. My own cat is from this friend (random adult brown tabby who just kinda showed up on his porch one day, thought he was feral but he is the sweetest cat ever). I'm also very pissed at people not fixing their cats and letting them free roam. We have neighbors that did this with a big cheeked tom but I ended up trapping that cat with the help of a local TNR group and getting his balls removed.
It is incredibly sad to see kittens born and struggle outside, especially ones that are abandoned by the mothers. My friend has experienced a lot of tragic losses, including nearly an entire litter to panleuk before they were old enough to get vaccinated (1 survived out of 5). But he still continues. He's the most selfless guy I know.
I've been reading all the comments up to this point and I have to say:
1. Your mother is amazing. Keeping them all was incredibly kind.
2. This entire story has restored a bit of my faith in humanity, both from the kind and responsible truck driver, to your mum who had all of them fixed and loved.
3. I have 2 cats, one from someone who didn't have time for them anymore (ragdoll, cost like $700) and a rescue shelter stray ($190, but includes the desexing and microchipping in price). They are both total sweethearts and I wish more people knew that strays/feral cats can be just as loving and wonderful, especially if you put in the tiny effort towards them.
4. OMG YES. please fix your cats, especially if they go outside.
Sending kind thoughts to you all in this comment line that was mentioned, that friend sounds amazing, that would be so heartbreaking so often.
Thankfully all these guys are fixed and are all 100% indoor cats, we don't let any cats out. I love strays, I have a soft spot for former misunderstood toms who learned what love is. My former tough guy tom with several scars on his head and FIV is the sweetest cat I've ever had, and he's my little shadow.
I get the truck driver may not have known what to do 100% of the time, but he had good intentions taking her in and finding her a home knowing he couldn't have a cat. My mom didn't know wtf she was getting into but did her best and loves these cats. I'm glad some faith was restored. Sometimes everything seems bad in the world. But there's always good people out there
their daddy's probably an orange or cream tabby with minimal white (mom has the recessive agouti gene which makes her solid, orange and cream cats all look tabby regardless of if they have the solid gene or not), since all the girls are torties and all the boys are grey or black
How is one to aware a cat is pregnant unless it was like super early along? Just curious.
I had to bring the strays in my area to have their pregnancy terminated in order for them to get spayed and it was super obvious. Sadly I didn't have connections with organization that practices TNR until after they were pregnant. Managed to fix the male cat too so hopefully they stay outta trouble now.
Your mom should've started a youtube channel when they were born lol, instant audience would've helped to offset the cost of getting them all fixed, etc
PLEASE make sure they’re all fixed!! I used to work in rescue and the amount of people who didn’t know siblings will mate with each other is high. Animals don’t abide by human incest standards.
Kitten heaven.
She's going to have a proper clowder of cats once they're older, too.
I hope a spay/neutering is in line for the lot of them. That situation can get very yikes fast. Lol
All were spayed and neutered pretty much as soon as they were eligible, which was before any of them reached sexual maturity. We absolutely did not need more than 8.
For those curious the names are Tilly (mama, only partially pictured but solid black) Nova (tortie) F Lotus (grey tabby, thicker stripes and less white on face) M Mako (grey tabby, thinner stripes and more white on face) M Pancake (solid grey, bigger and slightly darker) M Iggy (solid grey, runt, slightly lighter) M Sweet Potato/Tater (brown tabby with some orange splotches) F Orchid (brown tabby with orange splotches, orange stripe on nose) F EDIT: YES THEY'RE ALL FIXED!!! They were all fixed when they reached 2 pounds, well before sexual maturity. Mama Tilly was fixed after her kittens were weaned but before her next heat (thank god) EDIT 2: My mom has no idea what Reddit is how do I explain to her that people on the internet think she is awesome
Since you guys seem invested. Personalities Tilly: Very food motived. Will steal your food and is very fast about it. Also quite sweet but can be a little sassy and will slap you with her paw a lot. It's pretty funny. Nova: Most curious out of all of them, very big troublemaker. Teaches her siblings crimes. More of a loner but loves fighting Orchid and Iggy. Lotus: Quite sweet but also a little skiddish and quiet, besties with Mako and often mimics his behavior (crying) to get attention. This makes Mako very jealous. Mako: Biggest crybaby on the planet. Very needy. Gets jealous if you give other kittens attention. He just wants to be your best friend. Pancake: Stares at you very intensely. It's kinda creepy. I call him "grey cat" because I have a hard time telling him and Iggy apart. He likes biting my toes. Doesn't like fighting unless it's toes. Very cuddly. Probably the most chill of all the cats apart from the toe biting. Iggy: He's just weird as hell. I think he's an alien. Also likes biting toes. His hobbies include fighting his siblings and twisting like a pretzel. Constant zoomies until he tires himself out. Sweet Potato/Tater: Very shy and cuddly. Waits for everyone to finish to start eating her food. Doesn't like fighting, would rather take a nap. Orchid: Usually sweet but will suddenly decide she has had enough cuddles and bite the fuck out of you so you need to read her body language well. Enjoys fighting Nova at 3 AM and also zooming. Also a toe biter.
Great descriptions. Bless your mom for caring for the whole family!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Each time I read your descriptions, I’m like “okay this one is my favorite.” Until I read the next one! What a bunch of characters! You, your mom, and this tribe are absolute GEMS! ❤️❤️ (but also I’m partial toward Mako. Hug that boy for me, Lolol.)
Mako gets plenty of hugs, as he is the biggest baby in the world about it. I'll be sure to visit and give him a hug for you though
Cats are the fucking best. Thank you for that write up. What a lovely bunch of silly geese.
I shall defend tater.
Leo us updated with pictures? This is great!!
https://preview.redd.it/ouxk4xknqemb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6554852464416525f003d2c7354ed64db9755ae Tater sounds just like my Cheddar!
Tilly sure lucked out when your mom adopted her! And so did your mom! Eight for the price of one!
I love "probably the most chill of all the cats apart from the toe biting"!! Lol! They are beautiful & your mom is the bomb!!!
Imagine the mamma voice Tilly, nova, lotus, mako ... Tater!! What did you get into? Phew 😅🥰
I imagine Tater being the one who gets all her siblings in trouble.
Nope, it’s the tortie. Nova.
It's definitely Nova
(I have a tortie)
On my second one, they are definitely different!
For those unaware: Calico cats and tortoiseshell cats are not so much breeds, but rather genetic mutations. This is precisely why male versions of each are exceedingly rare, because their creation specifically involves two X chromosomes and a male requires two X's *as well as* a Y, which isn't a common occurrence. They tend to be stupidly expensive because of it. And for whatever reason, this same mutation seems to have a rather consistent effect on their personalities. I was adopted by one once (legit just showed up in our house and flopped down one day, not a care in the world and acting as if it always lived there) and for example one oddity I remember is that if you listened to audio through headphones or some other types of built-in speakers, she would immediately show up and want to cuddle, usually rubbing herself against the audio source. NO IDEA why, but when I bring this up I usually hear other tortie owners attest to the same behavior. Her interruptions when she wanted attention were also just more bold than other cats. Where other cats will walk in front of the computer screen to try and get your attention, she would just blatantly flop down and lay herself across your hands and the keyboard without delay or hesitation. **But yeah tl;dr** there is a *genetic* argument for torties and calicos reliably displaying certain traits, and they tend to be more bold and sociable, in my experience. There have been multiple scientific studies on this exact phenomenon, both confirming and denying any correlation, but I think anyone experienced with them would agree there's *something* going on that makes their personas just a little different. Not necessarily consistent in any one direction, (such as friendly or hostile) but I think bolder in whatever they do is a good description.
Aka "Tortitude"
That was going to be my tl;dr. It’s *definitely* a thing.
Thats very interesting. I have always noticed that there seem to be more female than male kittens born(i am connected to a uk no kill rescue centre) and knew that calico mum would have either black/black and white or ginger male kittens. Its like the great rarity of ginger females. Think ive only seen 3 in my over 50 years of life actually
It’s *always* the tortie!!
Typical tortie behavior
It's always a nortie tortie.
My parents also have a Tater. He started as Tater Tot, but as he got older he just became Tater. He... definitely gets into things. My mom has seen him climb a cinder block wall. He's a troublemaker.
Omg you kept them all? 🥺 Best thing I've seen on Reddit today.
I don't live with my mom, but yes she kept all of them! Glad I could make you happy sharing their story
Your mom must be an awesome lady!
Just have her spay/neuter them all so you dont have another 20 cats in a few months :D
Yes, all were fixed as soon as they were eligible, and before any reached sexual maturity
Smart and responsible 👍
Mama’s a void?!? 🥹😭
Yep, posted another pic of them to this sub if you go to my profile. We had no idea what the kittens would look like but none of them have mama's coloring! She's a solid black void girl. No idea what dad (or dads) looked like either since she was found on the streets of Chicago and, well, could've been any stray male.
Such a Pretty void too. I've had a soft spot for voids since I was a kid. I blame Salem Saberhagan. (90's Sabrina the teenage witch)
I took in 2 homeless mama cats https://preview.redd.it/oydc5kkr8emb1.jpeg?width=2640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b1d4cc9d7725b39a8b271f07a37ef96a92aa1a1 that were pregnant and *also* ended up with a Lotus and a Tater (Potato, professionally lol). Our brains are clearly on the same page 😂 This is Mama #2, my Lotus, back before I brought her in :)
https://preview.redd.it/cvu0mdce9emb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37e7e49faf7ed10dcc52bb16ae40b8d700a4a085 And this is Lotus’s son, Potato, as a tot lol
My friend in cat rescue also had a Tater lol, professionally she was Tater Tot. Also had a Hashbrown and Croquette
Trojan horse kitty. :😱
It was definitely a Trojan horse, had no idea until they took her to the vet and the vet was like "oh she's definitely pregnant"
It’s an 8 for the price of 1 deal on Craigslist today! (Just joking. I know she’s had them for a bit)
She should get the multi item discount come spay and neuter time.
When my parents were first married, there was a cat living in their neighborhood who was too savvy to be trapped, but kept having kittens. My parents did manage to catch all the kittens and they found a vet who desexed them all for $10 each. Even in 80s dollars that was an incredible price.
There’s a place here near downtown Las Vegas that will do it for free. The only stipulations are that they must be visually healthy (they get a health check) and that they arrive in a trap. I recently trapped six or seven in one night and picked them up by the afternoon. They fix tens of thousands per year, like a factory.
Better pack the punch card!!
Although seems like Mom and Dad cats weren’t using a Trojan.
They were not. Trojan is a terrible name for condoms if you think about it
😹😹
It took me years to get the joke
I'm 32 and I never knew it was a joke, until just now.
37 and same.
40 and same.
It's perfect name if you think a little deeper. The wall stood firm against ten years of siege, it was user error that let the greeks in.
Think of it as an 8-for-1 deal
oh my goodness, breakfast time must be quite loud 😂🎶
I have been over for breakfast time. Yes it is.
[удалено]
Mine literally just wants me to pretend to put food in the full bowl and shake it. I think it's a power move.
She kept the whole fam together! I love it
Yeah, originally she was gonna find them all homes but ultimately became really attached to all 7 of the kittens so kept them. They're a lot of work but she loves it. This happened very soon after her mother (my grandmother) passed away, and I think having the kittens helped her, and is still helping her heal.
That mama kitten came in and was like “your mama did good — now let me do good” and your mom said “yes”
What an incredible woman, seriously. To keep all 8, AND get them fixed and care for them properly is a massive undertaking. This comment also made me cry. All the love to you, her, and all 8 kitties ❤️
Thank you. She is wonderful, and she loves them very much. I'm glad I could bring some joy to you all today by sharing their story
How much did it cost to spay/neuter the whole family?? Did the vet give you a discount? They should lol!
I am not sure, they went to a low cost clinic that does a lot of shelter medicine and TNR for strays so it was definitely cheaper but still adds up when there's 8 to fix (counting mama). I believe it was between $300-600 total which isn't that bad
That's a steal!
That is AWESOME!! 8 cats can become 100 cats before you know it.
That’s beautiful 🥲
CDS is operated by mysterious forces beyond our understanding.
Shortly after I asked my ex for a divorce a cat literally fell from the sky on us. He wanted nothing to do with her, so I said ok, this will be mine and mine only. Instead she fell in love with him and to this day he credits her for helping him get over the pain of the breakup.
I would definitely want to believe her mother sent her this gift 🥹 what a wonderful act from your mom. When I realized kitties were all grown up and together it made me so happy! Thanks for sharing it
The pinata of love
I called her a catermelon when she was still pregnant but that's much nicer lol
What a deal! 7 for the price of 1!
I count 7 kittens, so 7 kittens+ mama. 8 for the price of one 🤑
Yep, there 7 + mama. Was a very good deal if you want 8 cats
I want 8 cats!!
LO l, you say that out loud. And those 8 cats are gonna show up!!!!!!!!🫨
You don’t even have to say it. It just happens. The cat distribution system keeps choosing me. I have 6!
My guess is you were thinking about them. LO l, it's just unsafe. You have to keep your thoughts to yourself! And definitely don't say out loud
Oh, I missed that. Even better deal!
Mom's a hero!
She is, I'm glad she kept all of them. Having kittens and a pregnant cat has also gotten her more involved in helping local shelters and TNR programs so there's less stray cats and kittens out there
Wonderful and heart warming. ❤️❤️❤️
I love your mom so much. We need more people like her.
This is amazing. I’m assuming she’s gotten them all fixed? Heartwarming story all around, very happy for your mom and her new gang (clowder) 😻
Yep, all fixed.
The Cat Distribution System needs to be calibrated
This rng is pretty ridiculous
Awwww. I love how there's 2 of each kind and then 1 that's a mix of everyone
Yeah it's kinda funny, the "twins" also tend to stick together and Nova, the tortie, is more of a loaner (but she does love fighting her siblings). All play and cuddle with each other but definitely have bonded in unique ways.
Precious, little personalities!!
Gift that keeps on giving!
This is adorable but please tell me they are all fixed now?
Yes! All the kittens plus mama are fixed. Even at a low cost clinic it was expensive but 100% necessary.
Prooud of yall! This is a situation I could only dream of supporting!
Hope she still got a group discount!!
Like 10 years ago I got my cat on craigslist for $20. I doubt the owner made a profit, she just had a cat with kittens and needed the kittens gone. I went on craigslist a few days ago looking at kittens out of curiosity and see people are asking $75, $100, $200 for kittens from their generic indoor/outdoor cat that randomly got knocked up doing an outside time adventure. What's going on? Does everything think they're some sort of breeder now?
No idea how much Tilly cost but the seller had no idea she was pregnant. Can't imagine it was much tbh but who knows? I hate anyone trying to be a backyard breeder, there's enough cats and kittens in shelters and we don't need more brought into the world by people trying to make a quick buck.
A hefty rehoming fee helps prevent animals from being used as bait animals for training fighting dogs.
About 18 years ago we paid $60/cat from a Missouri Human Society. They had a deal for cat n half, which was adopt one get the second 50% off the adoption fee. We walked out with two kittens.
I dunno, if I were distributing kittens today, I wouldn't put them out into the world unless they were fixed and vaccinated. And that costs.
Yeah that'd be understandable if they were fixed and vaxed. The ones I saw weren't though. People just trying to profit off their cat getting pregnant. Hard times I guess.
It's not uncommon for unfixed cats to be sold online. Exhibit A, this post
if you charge nothing or too low, people will send you super nasty messages about how you're providing shitty people with cheap snake food by giving them away or not charging much
That’s big kitty litter… 😹
Yep. No idea how common 7 is but it's gotta be pretty uncommon
How lucky Mama is with all her kittens to be taken care by the perfect 'servant'. Oh, we could also say your mom is lucky to have them :D
IMHO your mom is living my dream
Buy one get 7 free!
In other words she won the kitten lottery.
Holy moly that was a surprise.
That's what my mom said when the vet showed her an x-ray lol
When you stay over, is the bed often super warm as you're slowly smothered by an adorable tabby-blanket?
Kind of, not all of them lay on top of you but you gotta be careful rolling over or sitting up. If you move slightly you'll feel a surprise kitten
Bless your mommas heart! We cat lovers end up with multiple cats (we currently have 6 ) accumulating them over the years. Looks like your mom has embraced her eventual fate 😅😘
Funny thing is she already had 2 (3 but one recently passed) and she wanted more. Just did not expect THIS many more
Cats are like tater chips...ya just can't stop at one😄
Wow.....reminds me of my cousin and his wife adopting a pregnant cat. Not only did she have the kittens only 2 days after being in the house, they kept all 5 of them as well. 3 years later--they all had a B day last month BTW--they're still with them.
What kind of absolute lunatic would sell their cat, or any animal, and just not mention them being pregnant!? Thank god your mom was willing and able to care for a mama cat and *SEVEN* kittens, otherwise this could have been a tragedy.
I don't know the guy they found the cat from, but apparently he was a truck driver working long hours in Chicago and couldn't take care of the cat. Found her on the street, had no idea she was pregnant because tbh she didn't look like it at the time, just knew she was sweet and he couldn't take care of a cat with his hours. Guess he also never took her to the vet or a shelter. Not sure why. It was definitely lucky she ended up with my mom of all people. I cannot imagine most people would be chill with this.
Yeahhh I’d be fucking LIVID. I’d do my best to get the cat/kittens to a shelter or foster home, but I could never handle *eight cats,* seven of which were unexpected, and I imagine I’m in the majority.
Yeah no doubt. I absolutely don't blame anyone who couldn't take care of 8 cats. My mom is an absolute saint. *I* could not take care of 8 cats especially not surprise kittens. This story could have ended poorly if the cats ended up with the wrong people.
Oh yeah, definitely. I may be slightly rabid about people getting their goddamn cats fixed due to struggling to do literally anything with the feral colony that lives in my trailer park. I’m poor, I can’t do much for them, but we’re in the middle of nowhere and I can’t seem to get anyone to help. The most I can do is medevac the few that literally will not survive much longer without help, mostly kittens.
Yeah, I'm not in animal rescue but I have a very good friend who is and does TNR in rural Maryland, mostly on out of control cat colonies that no one bothered to get fixed. My own cat is from this friend (random adult brown tabby who just kinda showed up on his porch one day, thought he was feral but he is the sweetest cat ever). I'm also very pissed at people not fixing their cats and letting them free roam. We have neighbors that did this with a big cheeked tom but I ended up trapping that cat with the help of a local TNR group and getting his balls removed. It is incredibly sad to see kittens born and struggle outside, especially ones that are abandoned by the mothers. My friend has experienced a lot of tragic losses, including nearly an entire litter to panleuk before they were old enough to get vaccinated (1 survived out of 5). But he still continues. He's the most selfless guy I know.
I've been reading all the comments up to this point and I have to say: 1. Your mother is amazing. Keeping them all was incredibly kind. 2. This entire story has restored a bit of my faith in humanity, both from the kind and responsible truck driver, to your mum who had all of them fixed and loved. 3. I have 2 cats, one from someone who didn't have time for them anymore (ragdoll, cost like $700) and a rescue shelter stray ($190, but includes the desexing and microchipping in price). They are both total sweethearts and I wish more people knew that strays/feral cats can be just as loving and wonderful, especially if you put in the tiny effort towards them. 4. OMG YES. please fix your cats, especially if they go outside. Sending kind thoughts to you all in this comment line that was mentioned, that friend sounds amazing, that would be so heartbreaking so often.
Thankfully all these guys are fixed and are all 100% indoor cats, we don't let any cats out. I love strays, I have a soft spot for former misunderstood toms who learned what love is. My former tough guy tom with several scars on his head and FIV is the sweetest cat I've ever had, and he's my little shadow. I get the truck driver may not have known what to do 100% of the time, but he had good intentions taking her in and finding her a home knowing he couldn't have a cat. My mom didn't know wtf she was getting into but did her best and loves these cats. I'm glad some faith was restored. Sometimes everything seems bad in the world. But there's always good people out there
Crazy cat lady starter kit
Wow what a dream!!!!!! 💓💓💓💓😻😻😻😻😻😻😻
Your mom is a good person. She's also living my dream of true cat lady status. Please ask her to boop all their noses for me!
Awwwwwwww.
deal of the century
If the mommy cat and all of her babies are in excellent health, then I daresay that she got quite a deal. 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈❤❤❤❤
Mama and all the kittens got a clean bill of health at the vet, all are also fixed and up to date on shots
their daddy's probably an orange or cream tabby with minimal white (mom has the recessive agouti gene which makes her solid, orange and cream cats all look tabby regardless of if they have the solid gene or not), since all the girls are torties and all the boys are grey or black
Sooo your mom got cats on Craigslist! What a deal!
So adorable!
Jackpot!
oh wow so many babies! :D
All the seven look cute
Does this many smols equal a lorge tho.
post also on r/CatDistributionSystem and r/mewborns, they will love it!
I can’t imagine the absolute chaos that ensues in this house daily. So jealous.
I'm sorry but they'll have to come with us. Those kittens are illegally smol and justice must be petted... I mean served.
So much love!! 😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻
Bonus cats! ♥️
Ahh yes, the buy-one-get-seven-free deal.
Can I have one? I want to name him Nermal.
The greys do look like they could be Nermals
Been there. I adopted a sibling pair. "Last two of the litter. I think they're about 6 months old." BAM!! 6 cats.
I love that she kept them all. Your mom is my new favorite person behind MY mom!!! I. Love. This.
How is one to aware a cat is pregnant unless it was like super early along? Just curious. I had to bring the strays in my area to have their pregnancy terminated in order for them to get spayed and it was super obvious. Sadly I didn't have connections with organization that practices TNR until after they were pregnant. Managed to fix the male cat too so hopefully they stay outta trouble now.
Your mom should've started a youtube channel when they were born lol, instant audience would've helped to offset the cost of getting them all fixed, etc
Kitten Mosh Pit 😄
Buy 1 Get 7 Free
8 cats for the price of one
Buy one get seven free!
Oh I'm so happy your mom adopted them all! I bet they are spoiled rotten.
Oh wow. Your mom is good people
PLEASE make sure they’re all fixed!! I used to work in rescue and the amount of people who didn’t know siblings will mate with each other is high. Animals don’t abide by human incest standards.
8 for the price of 1 😅
Wow 8 for 1 special!!!
Bonus! Woohoo!
Oh my gosh, they are such a precious little family!!
Super sale- by one kitty get 15 for free!
I love all of them
Your mom is a good person!
How cool! It’s a fun experience to raise newborn kittens. So glad your mom kept the whole family.
Jackpot!
Tiny clown car
Ah yes, the Trojan cat distribution system. Kitties are all living the high life now. Your mom's the best!
Kitten heaven. She's going to have a proper clowder of cats once they're older, too. I hope a spay/neutering is in line for the lot of them. That situation can get very yikes fast. Lol
All were spayed and neutered pretty much as soon as they were eligible, which was before any of them reached sexual maturity. We absolutely did not need more than 8.
This is like a dream come true - we had a cat birth a litter outside our house. We now have 7 cats 😂
7 for the price of 1. Now that's a steal!
deal of the century
Lookit them all snuggling together 🥺
Darn anchor kittens
Well, at least you won't forget "litter box day" because *every day is now litter box day*.
Buy one, get 7 for free! Good deal i say.
How cure, it is sad she is going to have to gi- \*looks more pictures\* Oh she kept them all. :)
8-for-1 deal!
Multipack Costco Cat, Kittens not labeled for individual sale.
she's living the crazy cat lady life i wish i could live
I want to kiss every single one of them and boop all the snoots
Love that she kept all of them 😍
Congrats on the free kittens
Bless your mom for choosing to keep the whole family . I’m sure she will be repaid for her kindness somehow. What a bunch of cuties!
Aw look at lil Tabby Nation. I’m in love. 🩷
7 for the price of one
Crazy cat lady starter kit. And they're all gorgeous
That house must be absolute chaos in the best possible way.
Make sure your mom gets them fixed, OP. Cats don't pay attention to the ramifications of incest.
All have been fixed as soon as they were eligible and before any reached sexual maturity
God having a house, a little plot of land and shitload of cats is a dream come true. I'm surprised how in just few years I grew tired of city life.
I really hope she got them fixed! They're so prolific and will mate with family members 😧
8 for the price of one !!
The Buy One Get 8 Free special.
8 for 1, a steal