During this week’s freezing temperatures, volunteers with The Cat Connection carried out a dramatic rescue to save a mother cat and her six tiny kittens hidden somewhere on an industrial property in Waltham.

The rescue began when residents noticed a friendly cat repeatedly showing up for food despite the snow and cold. When volunteers safely trapped her and brought her to a veterinarian, they discovered she was producing milk — meaning her kittens were still somewhere outside in the freezing weather.

To help find them, volunteers placed a collar with an Apple AirTag on the mother cat and released her where she had been found.

She immediately crossed the street and kept returning to a debris-filled area behind an industrial building. Over the next two days, volunteers followed her movements and searched the area, carefully working through snow-covered pallets, discarded furniture, and piles of debris.

Finally, they found them: six tiny kittens, estimated to be about two weeks old, hidden inside a box of T-shirts. All six kittens — and their devoted mama — are now safe, warm, and thriving in a foster home.

Rescues like this are only possible because of our volunteers and community support.