Polydactyl cat Mama Mittens adopts six orphaned kittens, raising blended litter of seven at California shelter
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By Staff Author Published on May 9, 2026 11:10AM EDT
Warm and crisp on the edges. A bagel with a bit of bite.
Summary
A polydactyl mother cat named Mama Mittens at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California has adopted six orphaned kittens into her litter, bringing her total to seven kittens. The cat, who has extra toes due to a harmless genetic condition, is caring for her biological kitten alongside the six rescued orphans, all of whom were saved from the Long Beach area. The story highlights the cat's nurturing behavior ahead of Mother's Day.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMama Mittens, a cat at Helen Woodward Animal Center in California, is uniting her biological kitten and six orphaned kittens into one large litter.
As a polydactyl cat, Mama Mittens has a few extra toes due to a harmless genetic condition.
The extra digits may come in handy as she cares for her expanding litter.
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