He was her very first baby ❤️
The Resilience of Mocha: From Rescue to Hero
In 2022, Sabii Hector met Mocha, a rescued dog who had endured a traumatic injury. From the very beginning, Hector could sense that Mocha wasn’t just any dog. Behind her sweet demeanor was an unshakable fighting spirit that would soon amaze everyone.
“Mocha was rescued on the side of the road with a badly broken leg in mid-October 2022,” Hector recalled. “Thankfully, she didn’t need surgery, although at one point, we considered amputation.” Despite her injuries, Mocha made an incredible recovery, regaining her strength as if nothing had ever happened.
A Surprising Instinct: Mocha Meets Grogu
Mocha’s recovery was remarkable, but what happened next surprised Hector even more. Shortly after, Hector brought home a tiny kitten named Grogu. The kitten was only four days old and vulnerable, but Mocha’s reaction was nothing short of astonishing.
“At first, I kept Grogu away from her because I wasn’t sure how she’d react,” Hector explained. “But after just one day, Mocha approached him, sniffed him gently, then licked his face. She seemed very concerned about him.” To Hector’s amazement, Mocha instinctively began caring for Grogu like a mother—despite never having pups of her own and Grogu being a different species.
A Natural Caregiver
Mocha took her newfound role seriously, performing tasks that only a mother would. “Almost every feeding, she watched intently,” Hector said. “She loved cleaning up the milk from his mouth afterward, and she even tried to stimulate him to potty, which mother animals typically do.”
With Mocha’s love and care, Grogu thrived. He eventually grew into a playful cat and was adopted into a new home in Pennsylvania after being cleared for travel. But even though he was leaving, Mocha made sure to kiss him goodbye.
A Special Bond with Kittens, Not Puppies
Interestingly, Mocha’s maternal instincts only extended to kittens. “We’d foster bottle baby puppies every now and then, but Mocha wasn’t the slightest bit interested in them,” Hector noted. “But with kittens, she’s always excited and protective.” Since meeting Grogu, Mocha has helped foster and raise around 20 to 30 kittens.
Mocha enjoys playing with her puppy siblings once they’re older, but she spends most of her time doting on her feline babies.
A Daily Routine of Love and Care
Mocha’s dedication to her kittens is part of her daily life. “Typically, we wake up around 6:30 a.m. to do the first feeding and clean-up,” Hector said. Depending on the kittens’ age, Mocha is involved in feedings every couple of hours, often staying awake to assist Hector, even with late-night feedings.
But Mocha’s nurturing doesn’t stop there. She is always alert to their safety. “If the kittens play too rough, she’ll separate them, and if an older kitten is bullying a younger one, she’ll step in,” Hector explained.
Healing Through Nurturing
Mocha’s attention to her foster kittens is remarkable, and Hector believes that caring for the kittens has had a healing effect on Mocha herself. “I think raising kittens helped Mocha express the love and attention she didn’t have in her first few weeks,” Hector said. “She’s grown into a naturally protective dog who won’t tolerate anyone being mean to her babies.”