Orphaned kitten arrived at shelter. This mama cat gave her a ‘second chance at life’
An orphaned kitten arrived at a shelter — then a mama cat gave the little one a “second chance at life.”
“Newborn kittens require round-the-clock bottle feeding to survive, a demanding task for even the most dedicated foster caregivers,” a Florida animal shelter wrote March 27 on Facebook. “So we put Buttercup to the test.”
The Humane Society of Pinellas said it introduced Buttercup the cat to a 6-day-old kitten who lost her mom. A good Samaritan had brought the kitten to the shelter in a lunchbox, which led to her being named Lunchable.
When the shelter checked whether Buttercup would take in the kitten, “it was truly a love match at first sight. Buttercup immediately began purring and Lunchable nestled right into her to nurse,” spokesperson Peyton Davis told McClatchy News in an email.
Now, Buttercup needs a second chance of her own. After helping the orphaned kitten, she’s up for adoption.
“I may be a bit shy at first, but give me a little time and I promise to blossom into the sweetest companion you could ask for,” the shelter said in an online adoption profile written from Buttercup’s perspective. “I’m soft-spoken, preferring quiet afternoons and gentle strokes to loud noises and bustling crowds.”
Buttercup’s journey toward adoption started when she was transferred from another facility. She landed at the shelter with her two babies, Aster and Rose, who later were adopted. As Buttercup was set to go into a foster home, “fate stepped in.”
At the time, Lunchable was “alone, fragile, and fighting to survive.” Buttercup spent weeks raising the kitten, who has since been weaned but isn’t yet available for adoption, according to Davis and a past Facebook post.
“Buttercup was a wonderful mom,” Davis wrote. “She was very attentive to her kittens and was always taking care of them and making sure they were okay.”
The 1-year-old cat also is described as a “gentle soul” with a “heart full of love.” The “sweet” mom loves to curl up and purrs when she’s happy.
As of March 28, the shelter’s website listed Buttercup among the animals waiting for new owners. Details about the shelter’s adoption process can be found at humanesocietyofpinellas.org.
The humane society is in Clearwater, west of Tampa.
