Home Depot employees are shocked to find a little family living in a flower pot
When Kamila Muxitake answered her phone one day in early April, she was surprised to hear a Home Depot employee on the other end. The employee explained that she’d gotten Muxitake’s name from a customer who knew Muxitake worked closely with St. Francis Society Animal Rescue, and that the store desperately needed her help.
Apparently, a mama cat had decided to have her babies in a flower pot at Home Depot. The employees had been feeding the little family and put up a sign on the flower pot to ensure that no one would bother them. Even so, they knew the mama cat and her kittens needed to be taken somewhere safe. As soon as she learned about the situation, Muxitake agreed to help.
When Muxitake arrived at Home Depot, the mama cat was lying on the ground, relaxing. Muxitake has a lot of experience with trapping, which is one of St. Francis Society Animal Rescue’s main objectives to help control the stray cat population, so she wasn’t too worried. She set up a trap and put some food in it — and was caught off guard when the trap wouldn’t close.
“The mom was very hungry, so she walked right into the trap, but the door on the trap wasn't working, so it wouldn't close behind her,” a representative from St. Francis Society Animal Rescue told The Dodo. “Not an ideal situation! So, Kamila asked everyone around to be quiet and keep distance, and everyone obliged. She took her shoes off so she wouldn't make any noise and slowly snuck up behind the trap and closed it behind the mom. This got cheers and support from everyone!”
Once Mama was secured, Muxitake went over to the flower pot, peeked inside and came face-to-face with an adorable pile of squirmy kittens. The little family was transferred into the rescue’s care, and everyone was thrilled to discover that both the mom and her kittens were healthy and thriving.
“The mom and babies were in very good shape,” the rescue representative said. “The babies were about 3 weeks old. Mom eats a lot! We can tell she's a good mom because her babies were in such good condition.”
Not long after the family was rescued, the rescue took in a litter of orphaned kittens. Since they knew the Home Depot mama was such a good caretaker, they gave the new kittens to her, and she immediately rose to the challenge.
“She took them under her wing immediately,” the rescue representative said. “Nursing, cleaning and looking after them.”
The mama cat and all of her kittens don’t have names just yet, but the customers who witnessed the rescue have suggested they be named after flowers.
“Once Mom is done nursing and the babies are 2 pounds, they will all be fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and eventually adopted out,” the rescue representative said.
