A gray kitten named Fifi found a loving home before her mother, Fiona, was unexpectedly returned to the shelter. But fate had a happy ending when the two were reunited.
The story went viral on TikTok (@talesofwhist), where it has earned over 146,000 views.
Mandee Flanders, 36, who adopted Fifi in December, told Newsweek she recognized Fiona’s photo when the mother cat was put back up for adoption. “My husband and I went to the shelter the same day I saw the post, which was Valentine’s Day,” she said. “We decided to foster Fiona first, to see if Fifi and my other cat, Whist, would accept her.”
At first, Fifi hissed and avoided her mother. But by the second week, something changed, and the cats became close. The family decided to officially adopt Fiona.
Now, two months later, the cats are “inseparable,” Flanders said. A video from April 15 shows them cuddling. “They’re always together,” she added. “If we see one, we know the other is nearby. They nap piled on the couch during the day and sleep cuddled up at night.”
According to the ASPCA, about 3.2 million cats are adopted from shelters in the U.S. each year.
Flanders explained that not every cat fits every home. “Fiona was said to get overstimulated in her previous home,” she said. “But I believe she ended up where she belongs—with us.”
Pet expert Axel Lagercrantz said the strong bond between mother cats and kittens is natural. He explained that in the wild, kittens stay with their mother until she has another litter. Then, the mother pushes them away to care for the new kittens. If she has no more litters, the kittens slowly become independent.
Lagercrantz added that mother cats keep their kittens safe, clean them, and help them open their eyes when needed.
The TikTok post has 31,800 likes and nearly 600 comments. Fans praised the reunion, with one writing, “She’s holding her baby like she never wants to let go.” Another said, “What a wonderful human you are to give them a second chance as a family.” A third commented, “I’m glad they were reunited. It makes me sad when babies and mama get separated.”
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