A heartwarming incident from western Turkey has touched people worldwide after a family of kittens made an emergency visit to a human hospital—not an animal clinic—seeking help. Remarkably, it wasn’t a pet owner who brought them in, but the mama cat herself. According to Gulf Today, hospital staff in Izmir had often left food and water for the stray orange tabby outside. But one morning, her persistent meowing signaled something urgent.
Without hesitation, she carried one of her kittens into the hospital, determined to get help. The scene was extraordinary—hospital personnel cleared a path as she trotted confidently through the hallways with her baby in her mouth. Medical staff examined the kitten, along with its siblings, and consulted a veterinary clinic for proper treatment.
It was soon discovered that the kittens were suffering from an eye infection. The mother cat’s instincts proved exceptional as she sought out human aid to save her young. The medical team immediately provided the necessary medication, and soon the kittens were able to open their eyes again, bringing relief and joy to everyone involved.
Doctors made sure the kittens’ eye infections were treated. Photo credit: Canva
One hospital worker told the Daily Mail, “We were giving food and water to the mother cat living on the street, but we didn’t know she had kittens. That morning, she appeared with them, meowing for a long time. We were shocked. Upon examination, we saw the kittens couldn’t open their eyes due to infection. We gave medicine as instructed by vets. When their eyes opened, we were thrilled. Later, we sent them to Uzundere for further care.”
This was not the first time such a moment occurred in Turkey. The previous spring, another mother cat brought her kitten into an Istanbul hospital emergency room, as captured in viral social media posts by Merve Özcan. Locals say this reflects the strong compassion Turkish people have for stray animals, with many leaving food and water on the streets daily.
While no one can say for sure what drives these mama cats to trust human doctors, one thing is clear—their maternal instinct to protect their young is incredibly strong. And the kindness shown by these Turkish medical teams sets an inspiring example of how humans can care for animals in need.
