Rigby, the affectionate tabby cat, has a strong desire to help care for the kittens that his family brings home.
At a shelter in Oklahoma, Holly Brookhouser and her family first encountered Rigby, a tabby cat.
Little did they realize that Rigby would also befriend all the homeless kittens that passed through their door. They wanted to get their cat Canon a feline companion.
Holly told Embora Cats, “I started fostering kittens a year after we adopted him and noticed he had an intense need to assist in care for them.
When Rigby visited the foster family one day, they ended up cuddling in a sweet cuddle puddle. He spent the entire day with the kittens, grooming them from head to toe.
Since many kittens entering foster care were abandoned by their mothers, Rigby stepped in to act as their surrogate parent, taking care of their needs and showering them with affection. Singletons received special attention from him, and he would hold them in his arms as they dozed off.
“He will lay motionless while I cover the orphans with bottles and feed them when they don’t have a mother. They experience a breastfeeding sensation. He will occasionally assist them in using the restroom”, Holly told Embora Cats.
The adorable tabby boy immediately understands what the kittens need.
When Holly brings home a family that includes a mother cat, Rigby will act in accordance with the rules of cat behavior and give the mother all the room she requires to feel at ease.
“However, he will be ready to play and consume the kittens’ food once they are around five weeks old. He is an opportunist, but as the kittens begin to explore and play, he begins to warm up to the mothers and typically wins them over,” Holly explained to Embora Cats.
He has been really helpful, especially with older foster children. “I can use him to test whether any foster cat would accept another cat or not.”
Holly is presently taking care of a mother cat named Millie, her litter of six kittens, and five orphaned infants. Millie was discovered as a stray. The youngest five are being fed continuously, but Millie has truly delivered by taking care of them like her own children.
“I’m so happy she’s here to assist! Both litters have satisfied bellies. The little kittens enjoy snuggling with their larger adopted siblings, said Holly. “With lots of teamwork and supplementation, she’s mothered all 11 like a breeze!”
Always willing to lend a helping hand, Rigby. Every morning, he waits by the door to enter the foster room. He will come in to hang out and watch the kids when Millie is having a break away from the kittens.
The kittens adore Rigby and appreciate the additional attention from their best pal. They like squabbling over his tail and ears until they pass out right next to him.
Holly commented, “He kicks in gear when protective mamas aren’t nearby.”
When he has kittens to raise, Rigby is the happiest cat.
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