The Mother Cat Who Wasn’t

by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)

Cat with identity crisis

Cat with identity crisis

Cat with identity crisis Casper Blaze Shimmer

Bianca the cat and her three kittens, Blaze (a gray muted calico girl), Casper (a white male) and Shimmer (a tortie girl) all ended up in a cage on death row in Greenville, SC. This is the shelter I rescue from, so this story really caught my interest.

You'll understand in a moment why I titled this story The Mother Cat Who Wasn't.

All three kittens are facing malnutrition, intestinal worms, and a severe upper respiratory infection. They are currently under the care of North Greenville Veterinary Hospital in Greenville, SC.

Abby's Animal Angels, the rescue group who pulled the mama and her kittens are hand feeding the kittens with a syringe and administering eye as well as oral antibiotics. Little Blaze is the worst of the three and may lose an eye to the infection. The kittens are making a lot of progress and can now eat a little on their own.

Now for the clincher and why this cat family stuck in my mind! Bianco is a MALE cat!! This has come as a shock to everyone and has warranted a name change. Bianco is now Blanco. He cares for and washes up his litter of kittens. Blanco obviously loves his babies, gently cleaning them and keeping them warm as they nap.

With all of the negativity out there about male cats harming the litter, I just had to share this story with the readers here. Everyone wants to know why the shelter didn't catch it that Bianco was really Blanco. I guess he was pulling off such a good mothering act no one thought to look. Female cats nursing a litter aren't candidates for spaying at the shelter and are "fixed" after the kittens are weaned.

Having no mother does explain why the kittens were so malnourished and underweight for their age.

There are lots of bills piling up for Blanco and his little family. Not only for treatment being done now, but for vetting and spay/neuter once the kittens are well enough and old enough to have it done.

Those wishing to help this unusual cat family out financially may make a payment to North Greenville Veterinary Hospital at (864)244-8281 or through a chipin set up at -- this URL no longer works sorry.

I'd like to remind everyone unfamiliar with rescues that this is what rescues do. The conditions of these kittens isn't unusual. Most of the ones I've rescued from this shelter had URI's. Rescues take it upon themselves to give round the clock care if it's needed in order to save a kitten or cat.

I'd also like to add not identifying Blanco as a boy is also not unusual. I've rescued three from this shelter who were sexed wrong on their paperwork. There's so much going on in a shelter with so many dumping their pets off like garbage that sometimes things are overlooked.

Sorry Bianca-I mean Blanco! I'm glad everything's been figured out now.

Have any of the readers here ever had a daddy cat who took care of the kittens? Is this really that unusual? I raised hairless rats several years ago and the babies were always cared for my the daddy. Mama was only there for food. Naps and grooming were daddy rats job.

Blanco, you deserve every luxury imaginable for being such a good daddy to these babies.

Elisa

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The Mother Cat Who Wasn't

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Jan 11, 2012
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Shimmer NEW
by: Elisa

RIP Shimmer, who crossed the bridge January 10


Jan 10, 2012
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R.I.P. Blaze NEW
by: Elisa

Jennifer informed everyone that baby Blaze has joined Casper on the bridge. 🙁


Jan 08, 2012
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Keke, loving surogate daddy! NEW
by: keenpetite

Keke our beloved Rusian Blue had an exceptional loving personality with humans & kittens. Spring 1985 we adopted a very young kitten, terrified that Keke might injure Snuggles (new kitten)imagine our surprise as he lovingly hugged hugged, begin to bathe her, both falling asleep soon after. In fall of 1988 when Keke was getting Dialisis, Snuggles was right there loving him, we didn't want Keke to suffer so euthania was decided upon as painful as it was, Snuggles searched for Keke for a few days, she had lost her "Daddy".Male cats can be very loving to kittens.


Jan 04, 2012
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RIP Casper NEW
by: Elisa

Little Casper has gone to the bridge. Casper died the same way we lost our babies. Lethargic then cold then dies within hours. Vet suspects panleuk.


Jan 01, 2012
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Beautiful Story of a Rescue NEW
by: Lindy Fellober

Our Russian Blue male cat Dakota always treated the cats who came to our house and they all came as babies, by licking them and taking care of them like a mom. It was cute. Even our Maltese Lacey looked after two of the kittens and mothered them. All of these cats are now with God in Heaven since our fire last year but it was a pleasure to own them and enjoy them as we loved them very much, there were 6 of them.


Jan 01, 2012
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Alfie NEW
by: Leah England

My older cat was around 6 months when he mothered 8 week old Alfie, that was of course until Alfie was a big boy and wanted no more washing or snuggling!!
If Alfie resisted my older cat would pin him down to wash him. Alfie would always find his uncle to snuggle with when he was sleepy.

Alfie himself now loves it when we have foster kittens. There's no viciousness whatsoever just playing, chasing and washing.

My older cat has become more wary where kittens are concerned however once he's used to the idea he will also welcome little unfortunates taking turns to wash and play uncle.

My boys (now 3 and 2)love having kittens to stay!!


Jan 01, 2012
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sexed wrong NEW
by: Elisa

Our Sammy was listed as a female but we noticed Greenville had wronged him when he was 2 months old. Cassie used to be Casper and we had the neutering all lined up and found he was a she. I had a cat named Spot who showed up as an adult and stayed with us. I her her shots every year. One year I mentioned to the vet how she must have been fixed as she'd never gotten pregnant. The vet looked at me and said "this is a castrated male." So it can happen.


Jan 01, 2012
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Daddy Cats NEW
by: Angela

I have a very large six-year-old male tuxedo cat who rules the house with a calm, mature demeanor. He came to my forever home from death row at a kill shelter three and a half years ago. This past July, I adopted a nine-week-old male kitten from another shelter. I had four other cats, two of them female, so I was astonished when the females shunned any contact with the new baby, while the six-year-old male cat "adopted" the kitten. That kitten is seven months old now, but the big male still grooms him, wrestles with him like an overgrown kitten himself, and they sleep together with their arms wrapped around each other. It's one of the sweetest things I've experienced in more than 20 years of sharing my home with cats. So yes, it can happen 🙂 Way to go, Blanco - you're a real father figure (and could be presented as an outstanding example to some human fathers out there).


Jan 01, 2012
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Daddy Cats... NEW
by: Angela

I have a very large six-year-old male tuxedo cat who rules the house with a calm, mature demeanor. He came to my forever home from death row at a kill shelter three and a half years ago. This past July, I adopted a nine-week-old male kitten from another shelter. I had four other cats, two of them female, so I was astonished when the females shunned any contact with the new baby, while the six-year-old male cat "adopted" the kitten. That kitten is seven months old now, but the big male still grooms him, wrestles with him like an overgrown kitten himself, and they sleep together with their arms wrapped around each other. It's one of the sweetest things I've experienced in more than 20 years of sharing my home with cats. So yes, it can happen 🙂 Way to go, Blanco - you're a real father figure (and could be presented as an outstanding example to some human fathers out there).


Jan 01, 2012
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SHADOW MY BLK M "MOTHER" CAT NEW
by: FLLDIVER

I TOOK IN SHADOW ALONG WITH HIS LITTER MATES BACK ABOUT 12 YRS AGO FROM ANIMAL CONTROL. AT THAT TIME PERIOD WE HAD DISTEMPER GOING THRU THE TRI COUNTY AREA PALM BCH, BROWARD AND MIAMI AND WIPED OUT MOST ALL SHELTERS AND RESCUES. SHADOW SURVIVED AND HE STAYED WITH ME, IT TOOK ME 24 HOUR CARE TO KEEP HIM ALIVE AND WE FORMED A BOND THAT WE STILL AHVE TODAY. HE HAS TAKEN IN AND MOTHERED ALL KITTENS THAT I HAVE BROUGHT IN OVER THE YEARS. CLEANING, EVEN LETTING THEM NURSE ON HIM WITH NOTHING OBVIOUSLY TO NURSE ON. HE WOULD GRAB AHOLD OF THEM IF THEY TRIED TO ESCAPE AND PULL THEM IN TO MAKE SURE THEY STAYED CLOSE. I OF COURSE WOULD BE HAND FEEDING THEM AND SHADOW WOULD CLEAN THEM. ONCE THE KITTENS WERE ON THEIR OWN, HE WOULD READILY TAKE ON A NEW LITTER. I STILL HAVE SHADOW, BUT HE AND I HAVE BOTH SLOWED DOWN ON OUR RESCUE EFFORTS. BUT IF I DO TAKE KITTENS IN HE IS RIGHT THERE WAITING AND READY !!! HE STILL CLEANS AND MOTHERS MY OTHER CATS WHO SEEK HIM OUT WHEN THEY WANT ATTENTION !! SHADOW, HE IS MY BOY - GOING STRONG AS EVER ...... SO THERE ARE MALE CATS OUT THERE THAT "MOTHER" KITTENS, IT SEEMS SO NATURAL FOR HIM.


Jan 01, 2012
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heartwarming NEW
by: Anna - foster mom

I love this story. I love this little family. Thank you for sharing their story Elisa.


Jan 01, 2012
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Chip In NEW
by: Michael

PoC chipped in $20 (Your transaction ID for this payment is: 36B163229T054411M). Why? Because I hate to see animals in pain. Why must they be in pain? Nature is cruel to the vulnerable. And then there is Blanco...! Good on you man. Us men can do it, you know. Thanks for the post Elisa.


Jan 01, 2012
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? NEW
by: Anonymous

I must say that's a first for me I never known someone to get the sex of a cat wrong let alone have a male cat be so loving and caring for kittens way to go Blanco:-)


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