No One Prepared for What Man Finds in The Flower Pot In His Backyard - Newsweek

When an animal lover's boyfriend stepped outside to head to work, she did not expect him to find a litter of kittens nestled in a flowerpot on their porch.

But this is exactly what happened to Ileana (@earthtoileana), who was at a loss for what to do after her partner made the unexpected discovery.

She decided to document the discovery on TikTok, where her post quickly gained traction, gathering 5.2 million views and 740,400 likes.

"They were so small and vulnerable; I didn't know what to do but knew I couldn't just leave them out there," Ileana told Newsweek.

Her first instinct was to share the tiny kittens' plight online. "The first thing I thought of was to share their story on TikTok, hoping maybe a few people would see it by tagging my location, and hopefully end up finding them homes. But then, out of nowhere, the video blew up," she explained.

The video shows the kittens curled up in the pot together, meowing faintly.

"Look at these angels, hi babies. They have little crusty eyes, I'm going to have to make some saline and clean them off," Ileana says in the video as she tenderly greets the newborns.

With overwhelming support from viewers, Ileana later updated her TikTok with footage of the five kittens now safe and sound in a 5-foot crate inside her home. They also located the mom who they are taking care of.

Millions of people showed their support for the kittens, many of them donating to help with the cost of their care.

"It was overwhelming in the best way possible. I honestly wouldn't have been able to take care of them without my social media community stepping up the way they did," Ileana admitted.

Living in McAllen, Texas—a historic town along the U.S.-Mexico border—Ileana is no stranger to the area's issues with stray cats. McAllen has a significant population of stray animals, which the town has struggled to manage due to limited resources.

The city has been exploring new ways to address this issue, as current animal control efforts haven't been sufficient to handle the rising number of homeless cats and dogs in the area.

The donations and support from her TikTok followers, Ileana has launched a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program to help control the local stray cat population.

The TNR method is a humane approach to population management, involving safely trapping stray cats, neutering or spaying them, and then returning them to their outdoor homes. This reduces the birth of future litters and helps prevent overcrowding in animal shelters .

"With the support I got, I was able to start a TNR program to help control the stray population in my area. I've been fostering the kittens in my home, making sure they're healthy and ready for their forever homes.

"And now, thanks to everyone's generosity, I'm also working to make a real difference for all the other strays around here," she said.

Ileana was able to take the kittens into a local rescue centre to get them vaccinated and treated for fleas and worms. They are now "healthy and doing really well," she said.

Cat lovers and supporters flooded the comments, expressing both their adoration and appreciation for Ileana's efforts.

"Where did you get the seeds to grow those?" one viewer joked.

"The cat distribution system.... The universe is repaying you," commented Holly Daynes.

"New cat distribution system level unlocked: kitty bouquet," another viewer chimed in.

Through it all, Ileana has been deeply moved by the support her online community has shown her.

"This whole experience has been so humbling. It showed me the power of community—even an online one—and just how big a difference we can make when we all come together, especially in a place with limited resources like McAllen.

"Now, we're able to truly do our part in our community," she concluded.

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