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In September, a very pregnant black-and-white stray I named Panda walked into my house in Rochester, NY, clearly deciding it was the safest place to have her babies. A few days later, she delivered four beautiful kittens and turned my living room into a nursery.

Natalia Gromov

Not long after, another stray, Masha, followed her lead. She disappeared for a bit, then returned and carried three tiny kittens inside, one by one in her teeth, laying them gently on my floor as if to say, “Here. Please keep them safe.” Suddenly, I had two nursing moms and seven kittens.

Natalia Gromov

Then GRASP, our local rescue, called to ask if I could help two orphaned kittens who had been left out in the rain, since I already had two mothers. Panda and Masha accepted them without hesitation, nursing and raising them alongside their own litters. GRASP answered my questions and helped place all the kittens in loving homes when they were ready.

Natalia Gromov

All of this happened while I was grieving a family loss and caring for my 18-year-old dog on hospice. As her life gently wound down, the kittens’ lives were just beginning. Watching them grow, knowing they now had a future, gave me something hopeful to hold onto—a true circle-of-life reminder that even in the middle of heartbreak, love keeps finding new ways to show up.

Story submitted by Natalia Gromov

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!