21/12/2025
Sometimes I get asked how we do what we do.
The answer is simple - people. Extraordinary, kind, relentless people who drop everything to help one cat.
Over the last two days, a small army came together for one terrified mum and her newborn kittens, and I want to publicly thank them, our unsung heroes.
First, the volunteer who went out to collect mum and her babies. The first link in a chain that mattered more than anyone could have known at that moment.
Then our foster volunteers. We work incredibly hard to place each cat in the right foster home for their needs and this mum was taken in by one of our most experienced, capable fosters. But it became immediately obvious that something wasn’t right. She was utterly terrified, flying around the room, at risk of injuring herself and her foster. We all know the first part of the 3-3-3 rule with cats… but this was beyond nervous. This was fear. And it wasn’t how she had been described to us at all.
Another foster mum went straight over to support and assess the situation. She agreed, this cat couldn’t be left. Even with one of our very best carers, this wasn’t safe for mum or humans.
Every foster home has a foster liaison, someone who supports them every single day, from intake to adoption. And we have one of the best and most experienced, who has been with us since the old days! Tracy (my wingman and guru of all things feral) and I spoke at length with the foster liaison to try to formulate a plan. One of Tracy’s pens had just become empty and was due to be used for another intake, but plans had to be changed. That space was safer - for mum, for kittens, and for the people caring for her.
Tracy then stepped in fully. Tracy knows ferals of every level - semi-skimmed, skimmed, and full fat. This mum was assessed as one of the worst she had ever seen. Not angry. Just utterly terrified. She calmed in the smaller space but shut down completely. She showed no interest in her newborn kittens.
The following day, mum hadn’t moved from her spot. The last thing we ever want to do is separate a mum from her babies and hand-feed, but sometimes rescue means making the least-worst decision. Many phone calls followed. Many difficult conversations. What we needed was a foster who could support mum - supplement feed if needed – but understand her language and allow us to leave the kittens with her for as long as possible to give her a chance to settle. We had the perfect foster mum for the job, but she was pencilled in to take my feral babies on Monday.
Moving her again risked setting her back.
Taking her babies risked breaking something else.
We took the chance.
Within hours… she had eaten.
She had washed.
She was nursing her babies.
What makes this all so much harder is that she is not a street cat. She came from a home. And that truth sits heavily with all of us.
I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the incredible people who came together for one little family over the last two days. You are unseen most of the time. You don’t get the applause or the praise. But this is rescue. This is what it really looks like.
Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for caring so deeply.
Thank you for doing so much… for one small family who needed us all.
You are all incredible and deserve to be recognised and celebrated.
