Sugar's Bideawee Journey

At the Adoption Center at Bideawee, kittens typically don’t stay with us as long as adult cats.  Even when a cat has a litter of kittens, it’s not unusual that the kittens find forever homes long before the mother is adopted.

Sugar and her litter of six, 2-day old babies were discovered alone and frightened in a vacated apartment.  Despite having no access to food or water, Sugar’s powerful maternal instincts allowed her to provide the care her litter needed to survive.  When the buildings landlord brought Sugar and her family of 6 young kittens to Bideawee to get the care they deserved, she was starving, underweight, and in need of supplemental food to compensate for the calories that she was providing her young family.

After a thorough medical exam by the staff at the Animal Hospital at Bideawee the adoption center staff immediately went to work to make Sugar and her new family comfortable.  They set up the new family in a quiet, nesting environment where the staff was able to tend to her and her families essential needs and get to know her personality.

“It was evident from the first moment we met this Sugar that she was extremely dedicated to her little ones,” said Animal Care Coordinator Rob Whelehan. “She would devotedly groom, nurse and guard them. If they ever wandered off too far, she would grab each of them by the scruff of the neck and return them to the safety and comfort of bed. She was also very cautious and protective when people intruded on her and her family’s space.”

Despite their unfortunate circumstances at birth, Sugar’s six tiny kittens grew rapidly and were always larger than the average weight for their age.  When Sugar’s kittens began to wean and eat on their own, the staff at the Adoption Center at Bideawee noticed that Sugar was experiencing abnormal weight loss. After some investigation, the staff discovered that she was so intent on the continued survival and health of her litter that she was allowing them to eat her own food, while they were still nursing!

After the kittens were fully weaned, the entire family was spayed and neutered and placed up for adoption. Unfortunately, like so many other cases, Sugar has watched the litter she risked her live saving find loving forever families. 

Although the entire staff at the Adoption Center at Bideawee is extremely fond of Sugar there is nothing that they want more than for her to find a loving family that will give her the commitment, care and affection she deserves.  Find out how you can become the Forever Family that Sugar needs by visiting www.bideawee.org or calling 866-262-8133.