Rescued Two-Day-Old Kitten Finds a Surrogate Mother and Thrives

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In a heartfelt video that has amassed over 532,000 views on The Dodo, emergency veterinarian Dr. Anna rescued a two‑day‑old kitten after being unable to locate its mother. Together with her daughter, Dr. Anna syringe‑fed the fragile kitten, naming her "Baby Cat." Recognizing the importance of maternal care, they introduced Baby Cat to a nursing mother cat whose appearance closely matched the orphan.

"We weren’t sure if the mother would accept Baby Cat as her own," Dr. Anna explained in the clip. "We carefully blended their scents to encourage acceptance." The surrogate mother soon began nursing and tending to the kitten, providing the essential warmth, nutrition, and stimulation a newborn requires. Today, Baby Cat is strong, healthy, and has been placed with a loving family.

How to Encourage a Mother Cat to Adopt an Orphaned Kitten

Caring for a newborn kitten without its mother demands round‑the‑clock feeding, assistance with elimination, and constant warmth. A surrogate mother who has recently given birth can dramatically improve the kitten’s chances of survival. Success is more likely when caregivers exchange bedding or gently rub the orphaned kitten with the mother’s other kittens to transfer scent. While some pairings click instantly, others may require several attempts.

Veterinary experts note that alloparenting—shared mothering—occurs naturally in feral cat colonies. "Female cats often care for kittens that aren’t theirs," one viewer observed, highlighting the instinctual drive many species have to nurture young, even across species boundaries such as puppies or ferrets.

For more uplifting stories of animal motherhood, explore the tale of a grandma ragdoll cat who “steals” her grand‑kittens and an owl that has become a "natural mother" to 500 rescued babies.