5 tiny kittens rescued from a heartbreaking start make an incredible transformation surrounded by love

Author image for Sarah Brown
Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Sep 11, 2026 6:15 PM EDT

You'd never know from these photos just how rough things started for these five kittens.

Reddit user Gonkalicious_2176 shared the litter's story on r/FosterAnimals after taking on their first experience fostering this many kittens at such a young age. A friend had spotted a Facebook post looking for someone to take the motherless litter, and they agreed to help.

Thank goodness they did.

One kitten had already passed away before they arrived, leaving five babies behind. The remaining kittens were found alone in a box on the porch, filthy and severely underfed. Three were desperately begging for food, while the two white kittens, Molly and Maggie, were unconscious. Their breathing was the only indication they were still alive.

This is where things get pretty incredible.

The kittens were rushed home, and sugar rubbed onto Molly and Maggie's gums helped revive them. Going from barely clinging on to becoming healthy little kittens is one heck of a glow-up, and their foster family deserves plenty of credit for getting them there.

There was apparently a lot of trial and error along the way. This wasn't a household accustomed to caring for a litter of five fragile babies, but giving up clearly wasn't an option.

Now Simba, King, Cali, Molly, and Maggie are 8 weeks old and thriving. They have toys to attack, wet food to devour, and their first round of vaccines behind them. Basically, they're finally getting to worry about normal kitten things instead of survival.

Their foster says the experience has become the highlight of their year, and we can see why.

Watching five tiny kittens go from such a rough beginning to growing stronger every day has to make every sleepless night worth it.

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  • 01
    This was our first time fostering a litter this big and this young, we've only fostered one or two cats before (one a foster fail). These kittens were brought to
    via Gonkalicious_2176
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    R D
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    our attention by a friend of ours who showed us a Facebook post of the owner asking for people to take them. These kittens were without a mother after their
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    Cheezburger Image 10662298112
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    mother either ran away or passed away, and that they "tried everything they could". Thank god we accepted the rescue when we did.
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    Cheezburger Image 10662296320
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    Before arriving to the house, we learned that one kitten had already passed away, leaving the litter with 5 kittens. When we arrived, the five kittens were
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    Cheezburger Image 10662297088
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    tossed into a box and placed on the front porch alone, covered in excrements, and starving to death. The two white kittens in the photos were unconscious,
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    Cheezburger Image 10662296064
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    and we only knew they were alive by their breathing. Not even speaking to the former owner, we rushed the kittens home while three of them were begging to be
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    Cheezburger Image 10662296576
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    fed, and two of them were barely clinging to their lives. Thankfully, the two white kittens were able to be resuscitated by putting sugar on their gums, making the rescue both a success and a miracle.
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    Cheezburger Image 10662296832
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    There was a bunch of trial and error when we started fostering, but we never gave up on them and were willing to do everything
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    Cheezburger Image 10662297600
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    to make sure they thrive. Now, all five of them are thriving in their new environment of toys and wet food, turning 8 weeks old, and
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    Cheezburger Image 10662295808
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    finished their first round of vaccines! I'm so happy to have them here, and this experience is the highlight of my year.
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    Kittens names: Tan Kitten: Simba Orange Kitten: King Long haired-Calico: Cali White calico, brown spots, smaller eyes: Molly White calico, duller spots, large eyes: Maggie
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    Cheezburger Image 10662297344
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    Hopeful_Gur423 Thank you for rescuing these adorable babies and making sure they have a healthy start.
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    madammidnight YOU ARE A HERO. Bless you!
    via madammidnight

  • We’re giving the Hero of the Week award to this foster family, no question. Taking in five tiny kittens is already a huge job, but taking them in when they’re starving and two are barely responsive is another level. They jumped in, figured things out as they went, and refused to give up on any of them. Now all five are healthy, vaccinated, and busy growing into happy little troublemakers. 

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    cosmos1701d I adopted a mama from the street didnt know she was pregnant after 3 weeks i notice her belly bigger she gave birth to 5 babys i kept them all i couldnt separate them the best decision ever they are my family i love them all
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    TrisyBearrr When they're all in a crate, it's the absolute cutest!!
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    Virtual_Option_6728 So beautiful what you're doing.....
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    NA-TH-X Thank you for caring for and loving them.
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    itsjustme_0101 You are a saint. You have earned a place in heaven for taking care of these sweet little souls. EE
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    Found Object765 As cute as can be!
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  • These kittens are absolutely adorable already, and somehow they’re only going to get cuter from here. They’re still just tiny babies, so there’s plenty of growing, fluffing up, and personality developing ahead. Before long, those little faces will start looking more grown-up and each kitten will really come into their own. We hope their foster keeps taking plenty of pictures because watching Simba, King, Cali, Molly, and Maggie grow up is going to be one seriously cute journey.

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    Gregory HD Bless you OP, they look like a handful but are so cute nonetheless
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    cwtravel thank you for taking excellent care of the kittens!
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    alicetto Kiddos to you all!!! Bless you for taking them in!
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    IndyDelon I am so happy to see that you and your family have saved these babies! It looks like they are being well cared for. Thank you AA
    via IndyDelon

  • These kittens had such a rough start, but look at the life they get to have now. They went from being hungry and struggling to a home where they’re safe, warm, well-fed, and surrounded by love. Now their biggest concerns are which toy to play with, when the next meal is coming, and where to take their next nap. After everything they went through so young, seeing them happy and thriving is exactly the ending we wanted for them.

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    finally_boundaries Thank you for giving these babies a safe and loving place to recover and thrive after that rough beginning. They are such cuties!
    via finally_boundaries

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kitten Cats wholesome heartwarming foster Cat distribution system rescue transformation
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