The self-described “Youngest Old Cat Lady,” Ashley Morrison, rescued an adorable “Potato,” a calico kitten and her mama. Potato was a solitary spud when Seattle foster mom Susan Mullis caught her and her mother and brought them to Morrison.
Right off, Morrison started calling the kitten a potato because she was that tiny, and the name stuck.
Images and media – Instagram/youngestoldcatlady
“Look at my little angry potato. What should we name her?”
A Solitary Spud
Being the only kitten, Morrison suspected that Potato’s siblings didn’t make it. The kitten had an upper respiratory infection (URI) and was covered in fleas. Without help, she wouldn’t get very far either.
Potato and her mother were both scared and wary of people, but the mother was ferocious, hissing, attacking, and upsetting the kitten. Since it only got worse, she was later separated.
When the mother was taken to be spayed, the Feral Cat Project discovered she was already pregnant again, just 2 weeks after giving birth to Potato.
“I can not stress enough how important it is to keep nursing mom cats indoors while raising kittens. I’ve seen so many lost cat posts of nursing moms who went back outside and came back pregnant again or gone missing while still nursing their other litter. The cycle never stops until you stop it,” Morrison said.
Once released at her chosen home, the mama had someone to feed and watch out for her. Soon after, Potato met a foster cat named Blossom, and she became like her Auntie. Blossom was a previous rescue from the same location as Potato.
From Sour to Sweet Potato Kitten
At first, Potato tried to be “big and scawy,” but she went from sour to sweet.
“First they’re sour, then they’re sweet.”
When she would revert to hissing, Morrison would say, “hisses get kisses,” and she was eventually won over. Soon, the little tater was fully enjoying the luxuries of indoor life and meeting new playmates, Bonnie and Thelma.
“She really loves spending time with Bonnie and Thelma, and when she’s tuckered out- she walks herself to her heated bed in the crate and takes a nap,” Morrison wrote. “She’s actually sought out my attention now, and no longer only hiding under her bed afraid of people. She runs full speed through rooms, hopping like a little bunny.”
Adorable Fluffy Pants Arrives
At the same site, Morrison trapped three more kittens. At first, she thought they could be Potato’s siblings, but then she realized they must be older. The one she named Fluffy Pants was “prettier than any Insta model,” she said with bright blue eyes. However, the kittens were really scared of people at the time.
After Fluffy Pants had time to adjust, Potato came by to say hello. The kittens would become best friends, and the tiny kitten helped his friends adjust to life as an indoor cat.
“Potato is an expert groomer. Look at her 👅 🤣 Fluffy Pants loves it as you can tell by his super excited face LOL.”
Instagram/youngestoldcatlady
Potato Kitten and Fluffy Pants Furever
Happily Fluffly Pants and Potato found a forever home together after their spay/neuter day milestone.
They are loving life with a puppy pal and a new mom.
It was so hard to say goodbye, but for foster providers, it means being able to save more lives.
“Saying goodbye means making space for the next Potato who needs me. It means giving her and Fluffy Pants a life where they get more individualized attention than they would here with me fostering so much. I say goodbye because I love them, not because I don’t, ❤️” Morrison wrote.
National Potato Day
On National Potato Day, Morrison talked about how fostering kittens like Potato helped her through a tough year. She says caring for foster babies transformed her life.
“Today is National Potato Day. Did you know she has an entire day named after her?….. I mean… I’m pretty sure that’s the 🥔 they are referring to. Here are some photos from her time with me. Potato or Tato, Tater Tot, Potat, Tiny Tato, has been such a blessing to have. This year has been a very difficult one for me and she’s been a little love bug in a time of need,” she wrote.
At CatCon in Pasadena, California, she talked about her experiences and gave out stickers of the much loved Potato kitten.
After two months of caring for the kitten, there are many warm memories.
“Typical photo I take during the day. Just me and a potato 🥔”
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