A rescuer stopped by the shelter to help kittens—but when she saw a mother cat walk in with her seven babies, she knew she couldn’t leave them behind.
LoriWhite
Last weekend, Lori White and her team from ARPO (The Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership) stopped by a local animal shelter that was bursting at the seams with kittens.
Just as they were getting ready to leave with a group in tow, a mother cat and her seven tiny babies were brought through the door. The mama had a severely ruptured eye and was clearly in urgent need of medical care.
“As soon as they were taken to the intake room, I knew—I had to help,” Lori said.
After a whirlwind of phone calls, networking, and miles on the road, Lori and her team found a veterinarian willing to help. Thanks to their determination, the mama cat got the emergency surgery she so urgently needed—that very night.
“I picked her up around 2 a.m., brought her home, and got her and her babies all settled in,” Lori recalled.
“It’s always heartbreaking choosing which animals to pull from the shelter,” Lori shared. “I lie awake at night thinking about the ones I couldn’t take.”
She named the brave mama Snow White, and fittingly, her seven kittens were named after the Seven Dwarfs. Despite all she’d endured, Snow White remained sweet, affectionate, and visibly grateful—her gentle spirit shining through.
“Snow White has been nothing but sweet,” Lori said. “As soon as she stepped out of her carrier, she rubbed against my legs and purred. I truly believe they know when they’ve been saved.”
At her follow-up vet appointment, Snow White was calm and cooperative—a total model patient. It didn’t take long for the staff to fall in love with her gentle charm.
“Maybe she was just enjoying a little break from her kittens, who were waiting in the carrier behind her.”
With a cozy nursery, a devoted mama, and a loving foster home, the kittens quickly began to thrive. Their bellies grew round and healthy, and before long, they started to waddle around, testing their little legs. “They’re finding their groove and hopping all around their room,” Lori said.
Still wobbly on their tiny paws, the kittens toddled out of their nest like “drunken sailors,” ready to conquer the world—one clumsy step at a time. They attempted to climb anything within reach: the playpen, each other, and of course, their endlessly patient mama. “This is my favorite kitten age,” Lori shared. “They’re absolutely hilarious to watch and just so stinking cute.”
Snow White eats like a champ, polishing off every bite without hesitation—understandable when you’re feeding seven growing kittens. She goes through can after can, constantly refueling to keep up with the demands of motherhood.
Lately, her curious little ones have started to take notice. They gather around her bowl, noses twitching, ready to figure out what all the fuss is about.
Every day, the kittens grow bolder. They poke their noses into every corner of the nursery, pounce on invisible prey, and test their tiny legs with wobbly dashes. Snow White watches it all like a seasoned pro—ready to swoop in whenever someone wanders off a little too far.
In just a few weeks, they’ll be full-on zooming through the room, scaling cat trees like jungle gyms, and turning every nap into a surprise ambush. Their mom? She’ll be right there, keeping up with every adorable mischief.
Thanks to the warmth and care of a loving foster home, this little family is thriving.
Snow White has fully embraced her new life. With her babies safe and growing beside her, she’s finally able to relax. Every time her foster mom walks into the room, Snow White is there to greet her—rubbing against her legs and soaking up every bit of affection she can get. She’s not just surviving anymore—she’s blossoming.
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Follow more updates on Snow White, her adorable kittens, and Lori’s foster adventures on Instagram @dreaming_of_foster_kittens and ARPO @arporescue. 🐾💛
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