Tia The Terrific Mum
Photo reproduced by kind permission of the Mid Sussex Times. Photographer Steve Robards
Tia is a pretty tortoiseshell who was sleeping rough in an old tyre outside a factory. Kind staff had been feeding her and we were told she’d already had a litter of two kittens in the spring. When they saw she was obviously pregnant again they decided she ought to have proper care. After being refused by all other charities they happily found us and we immediately brought her to the Rescue Centre and made her comfortable.
She kept us waiting a surprising 10 days before giving birth one afternoon. However that wasn’t the biggest surprise! The first ginger kitten arrived at 3.15pm, followed by two tabbies, two black and whites, and two tortoisesehells and a further three gingers, the last one arriving at 7.15pm.
Fortunately we were able to be with her and give comfort throughout. Although she knew just what to do, she became understandably weary and needed a little help from us and plenty of TLC. Once she had cleaned them all up and herself, they all settled down to feed….in shifts, as she couldn’t feed them all at once.
From the start she sorted them into two groups on each side of her pen, lying down for 5 to suckle and when they were full and asleep would go to the others and repeat the process. As they grow more lively she is really going to have her paws full!
In our experience we have never known a cat have 10 kittens. They have all been named after tyres! Dunlop, Michelin, Marshall, Sava, Avon, Pirelli, Cooper, Sunny, Toyo, and Faulken.
Tia's kittens have now all been found new homes but we have many other lovely cats in our Rescue Centre.
Some of them have been with us for over 6 months and need someone to give them a safe and loving home. Could you offer a cat a cosy home before the winter sets in?
Also please remember the older cats in our care who for no fault of their own have found themselves without a proper home.
Choosing a cat or kitten is strictly by appointment or come along to one of our monthly Homing Afternoons. Please read our Guide to Adopting a Cat.
The Proud Mother
Tia's Story
was featured in the
Mid Sussex Times
dated 19 August 2010