Maria Cassano observed a stray cat carrying a kitten through her father’s Long Island property a few years ago.
She was concerned that if the cat, whom she called Mama, didn’t get enough food, she wouldn’t be able to make milk for her baby. Her father was adamant about not feeding the stray dogs in the area, but Cassano persuaded him to make an exception.
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
Mama’s young kitten was eventually adopted by a neighbor, but the Cassanos continued to leave her free meals out for the neighborhood’s wild cats. Mama was especially appreciative of the meal, but the more she came around, the more they worried about her safety in the cold.
Cassano’s father decided to construct her her own nice cat home.
“My father is fairly skilled, and while he’s not a fan of having dogs in the house,” Cassano told The Dodo, “he’s a genuinely compassionate man who likes to help out.”
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
Mama delivered a second kitten shortly after, and Cassano’s father decided to put a camera in the cat house to make sure they got home safely every night.
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
What they didn’t expect were all the cute images of the appreciative strays they’d take.
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
Mama and her kitten were ultimately captured by Cassano and taken to a nearby shelter to be spayed and vaccinated. “It was autumn, and the shelter indicated Mama would be OK to return,” Cassano explained, “but the kitten was likely too young to survive the winter if left outside.” “However, he responded favorably to human handling.”
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
Cassano raised the kitty and adopted him into a loving family. Mama, on the other hand, wasn’t alone for long, especially with all the wonderful things the Cassanos’ backyard had to offer.
Mama now spends her time in the yard with two black cats named Inky and Finky.
CREDIT: MARIA CASSANO
Cassano has no ambitions of domesticating the tiny wild family, but she is pleased to provide them with a safe haven.
“They won’t allow us touch them or come inside,” Cassano explained, “but they recognize us, snooze on the porch [or] in the lawn chairs, coexist with us in the backyard, and occasionally come up to the window when it’s time to eat.”