Every now and then in the rescue world, a little bit of genetic magic walks through the door. I heard about one such case just last month from Laura Malone, one of the wonderful directors at Mini Cat Town, a rescue I admire here in California. It was a story about a family of five that just made all of us smile and wonder at the delightful surprises nature can cook up.
A Family of Five with a Beautiful Secret
It started, as these stories often do, at the city shelter. A beautiful, long-haired black cat had been brought in, and with her were four precious little kittens. Laura and the Mini Cat Town team didn’t hesitate; they immediately took the whole family into their care. The momma cat’s history was a bit of a mystery. As Laura put it, “Given her weight and her friendliness, I can assume she was cared for regularly by a human, but her paw pads are dry like a cat who has spent quite a bit of time outdoors.” She was a bit of an enigma.
But it was the kittens who held the biggest surprise. As they settled in, the team noticed something truly special. All four of the tiny babies had stunning, solid brown fur, the color of rich chocolate or warm cinnamon.
The Rarity of a Chocolate Cat
Now, as a vet, seeing a solid brown cat is a treat. Seeing four in one litter from a black mother? That’s incredibly rare! Laura was just as fascinated. “We have four girls,” she told me. “Two appear to be solid in pattern and two have white socks and white markings on the face and chest.”
She pointed out their little noses and toe beans, which all had a lovely pinkish-brown hue. “That would lead me to tentatively believe that they will not darken to black like Mom, but may remain close to this color,” she mused. “If that is true, they’ll be extremely unique!”
She’s absolutely right. True chocolate or cinnamon brown coats in cats are the result of a specific genetic mutation of the black color gene. It’s not something you see every day. As Laura said, “They are pretty rare, especially in shelter or rescue cats.” This little family was truly special.
Momma Mars Learns to Trust
The beautiful black cat mom, aptly named Mars, was understandably a bit wary at first. You can just imagine what she’d been through! Finding herself in a new place with four tiny babies to protect, her instincts were on high alert.
“The first night, she was growling so much at every noise and movement, making unwavering eye contact, and standing so defensively,” Laura shared. But Laura has a wonderful, patient way with scared momma cats. “After a little while,” she continued, “I realized she was just being vocal by letting me know she was scared and feeling protective of her kittens, but she herself wanted human interaction and pets.”
Slowly but surely, Mars began to relax. She seemed to realize that these giant, two-legged creatures were there to help. She let Laura and the team assist with her demanding little “candy bar” babies (adorably named Hershey, Reese’s, Twix, and Baby Ruth). Soon, the defensive growls were replaced by happy greetings. Mars even started “making biscuits” (kneading her paws) while standing up whenever her foster mom entered the room. “It is the cutest thing,” Laura laughed, “she looks like she is prancing.”
The Candy Bar Kittens Begin to Explore
Thanks to Momma Mars’s incredible, around-the-clock care, the four little sisters were healthy, happy, and delightfully chonky! As they grew, they started to figure out how their legs worked, getting more playful and adventurous with each passing day.
It’s so fun to watch their little personalities emerge. Laura gave me the rundown: “Hershey has a big old round head. Baby Ruth is the smallest and has a narrower face and more almond shaped eyes. Twix has a little white chin. Reese has a white spot near her nose and is so far the most outgoing of the kittens – always the first to venture to the open door.”
A Love-Bug Mom and Her Growing Brood
While her kittens were getting more independent, Momma Mars completely blossomed into a total love-bug. Her transformation from a scared, growling mom to an affectionate, trusting companion was truly heartwarming.
“When she first arrived, I made it a habit to always say, ‘hello Mama,’ when I opened the door. I wanted her to get used to the sound of my voice,” Laura explained. “Now when I enter the room, her head pops up out of the carrier and she comes running out to greet me! And then she follows me around and rubs my legs while I prepare her food.”
As the kittens started to enter their rambunctious teenage phase, spending more time wrestling and playing outside their nest, Mars was never far away, always watching over them. Laura described how the attentive mom would come running anytime she heard a little kitten cry, ready to groom their face and shower them with love. “I can tell Mars is the kind of Mom who wishes her babies would always stay little,” Laura mused, “but these kittens are starting to be on the go!”
And through it all, that beautiful, rare chocolate brown coat on the kittens seems to be here to stay, a gorgeous reminder of their unique genetic story.
