Last night, after we had gone to bed I couldn’t sleep. Partly it was the oppressive heat in the house (Mike is always cold now) huddled under blankets even in 80 degree weather and asking the heater to be kept on low.

At around 2:00 a.m. I just gave up and went outside to the enclosure to visit with Mattie who had been howling her tail off for several hours. I sat down in the chair and tried to coax her into my lap. She wasn’t having anything to do with me. I doused my flashlight and just sat there with her watching her to see if I could find a way to comfort her.

As I observed her, she wasn’t paying any attention to me. She was pacing the enclosure and for every noise she heard outside the wire, she would flinch. Several times, she jumped as if startled but even if I turned on my flashlight, I didn’t see anything alarming.

Our neighbors next door to us have some very barky dogs. They let them out and the minute the pitbull mix started his barking- Mattie just freaked! She jumped into the Introduction Cage and I found her inside the carrier trembling. Mattie is just terrified of the night.

Although this year, I declared that we weren’t going to take on any new rescues, I found myself in situations where cats were in dire need of veterinary care or other assistance and jumped right in. All my enclosures are full and Mattie is an only kitty type of soul. I knew if I put her in with any of the others, there would be a major cat fight.

With no other choice and knowing that what I just witnessed was pure terror. I carried her into the house and put her with her babies. It was magic!

They’ve been apart long enough to not know each other, but Mattie is amazing as far as her mothering instincts. She wouldn’t take no for an answer and in about 20 minutes time, the little ones had stopped hissing at her and they were all laying in a huge pile.

I didn’t want her to start producing milk again, so I slipped a dog shirt around her neck and taped it down over her belly so her nipples were covered. Funny to see her slinking around, looking at this alien hanging on to her, but soon she accepted the bit of cloth and started to eat some canned food with more gusto than she has presented since being here. The kids soon joined her and satisfied that they were once again a family, I was able to slip off and get some sleep.

This morning, they are all together. I checked the dog shirt and it showed on evidence of kitten activity, so I slipped it off her. Her nipples are dried up, no more redness or sores. I will keep an eye on her today and if I see them trying to nuzzle her, the shirt will go back on despite the hot weather.

What if this was part of what ails her? The separation of her kittens was done so early (because of her health issues) Maybe being with them now, will give her the strength to pull through all this nonsense she has endured and give her a new lease on life. One can only hope.

Enjoy some photos of her babies, they are growing like weeds!

“Mackie”

“Flash” and “Fog”

“Fog and “Smokey Jo”

And finally, “Reunion with Mom”

I am still astonished that she showed no aggression towards her family. We have been through this before many times, and any time we have tried to reunite a family back together, it has always failed. I was apprehensive about trying this out last night, but this morning when Mattie cleaned her plate for the first time since being here, I knew we had made the right call. This cat is extraordinary beyond measure.