Posted by Athena Scalzi
https://whatever.scalzi.com/2025/08/19/parking-lot-kittens/
https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=56903
A few days ago, I got a text from Bryant saying that he had kittens under his car, and that I simply must come see them immediately. So I booked it over and lo and behold there were two kittens underneath his car! There was a calico and a tuxedo, and both were very shy and very hungry. It was so hot outside, and Bryant’s car was one of the few spots of shade in the area, so I can see why they’d hide under there.
I had a sneaking suspicion that there were more around. Where there’s two kittens there’s five, or something like that, anyway. Sure enough, it wasn’t long after feeding the two skinny kitties that another came running, seemingly appearing out of thin air. This one was a diluted tortie, and she parked herself right next to her siblings underneath the car. I could hardly believe three kittens had spontaneously appeared, but I was so thankful that it happened to be under the car of one of the biggest animal lovers I know.
We weren’t really sure how best to handle this situation, and while we were thinking it over, the tuxedo ventured out from beneath the car and ran behind the apartment into the woods. We decided to follow him and see if we could catch him now that he was out from underneath the car.
While we followed him down the trails of the forest, getting eaten alive by bugs, wouldn’t you know it, a black kitten appeared:
Had the three from under the car originated from the forest? Or had the black one been under the car with the other three originally and ventured to the woods like the tuxedo ended up doing, too? Either way, I was shocked to see another one, and thought surely that this was the last one of the litter.
This new one was different from the other three. While the calico and diluted tortie were absolutely terrified and skittish as hell, and the tuxedo wasn’t much better, the black one was incredibly friendly in comparison. In no time at all, the black one was following us around like a shadow, and was even willing to be pet and purred the whole time. Shortly after, he was even okay with being picked up and petted like any normal household cat. It was like he wasn’t even a stray, really.
We had the food set out by the car still, and wanted the black one to come get food, so we had him follow us back around to the front side of the apartment, where he reunited with his siblings under the car.
In the couple days that they have been at the apartment, we’ve been working on figuring out a rescue plan. I called multiple rescues in the area and asked if they can send someone out to collect them, as we are not certified kitten wranglers and don’t want to hurt or scare them, but none of the rescues offered that type of service.
For now, they are being fed and watered consistently, and there have been pretty impressive strides with how close the kittens have started to get. Still, the only one that enjoys being pet and actively seeks out affection is the black one, but the calico and tuxedo are becoming much more acclimated to human presence, it seems. The diluted tortie is without a doubt the worst case, still extremely skittish and frightened.
Even though it would be super easy to catch the black one, and even the tuxedo, the other two still seem uncapturable for the time being, and we don’t want to separate them. We figure the best course of action is to keep trying to get them comfortable enough until all of them are snatch-able.
I had an idea to try and hand feed them with tubes of food, like I’d seen so many times in cat rescue videos on Tik Tok. I figured it would help them trust us, and make it so they’re within hands-reach to make for easier snatching. Other than the black one, they preferred to eat it only when we squeezed the contents out onto the ground for them to eat at a further away from us distance:
Look how close the calico was! This was huge progress:
THEY’RE SO CUTE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH:
We want to rescue these babies so badly, while still keeping them together. We just aren’t experts, but we’re doing our best and making sure they’re fed for now, at least.
I expect some questions about logistics and whatnot, so here’s some pre-answers:
The car that they’re under is Bryant’s car, but it hasn’t moved from that spot in three years. He drives a different car, so don’t worry about him having to like, move the kittens’ shelter. It ain’t going anywhere.
Bryant is the only tenant at his apartment, there’s no neighbors to inform of these kittens, only the landlord, which he did.
I’m not sure which of the many rescues in the area would be best to take them to when they’re eventually caught, so please let me know if you have recommendations for kitten shelters in the Dayton area!
Aren’t they so cute?
Which would you love to take home with you (I want all of them)? Let me know in the comments, and have a great day!
-AMS
https://whatever.scalzi.com/2025/08/19/parking-lot-kittens/
https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=56903
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