IF you had to pluck an animal out of the air to be a surrogate mum to a clutch of eggs, a stray cat probably wouldn’t be your first choice.
But the pretty tabby which has adopted Weston St Mary’s School as its home is proving she is the cat’s whiskers at stepping into Mother Hen’s shoes.
When the school’s hen hops off the eggs, the cat moves in to take over and keep the clutch warm.
And the chicken doesn’t ruffle a feather when mummy cat hops out of the coop where she chose to raise her kittens – she shows she’s just as clucky by looking after the four grey tabby kittens.
Teaching assistant Angie Bradshaw, who is responsible for the school’s menagerie which also includes a cockerel, rabbits and guinea pigs, said: “The cat is a stray and has been around the school for a while and I came in one morning and she had kittens in one of the chicken pens.
“Then I came in the other day and she’d moved them in with the cockerel and hen.
“It is fascinating to see the two of them together.
“We couldn’t believe it when we saw the cat lying on the chicken’s eggs to keep them warm.”
But now Angie is looking for new homes for the four grey tabby kittens, as it won’t be long before they outgrow their adopted home.
There are two girls and two boys and one of them has four little white socks.
Angie said: “We want them to go to good homes but we would ask anyone who wants one to make a small donation so we can get the cat neutered so we don’t end up with more kittens.
“The children love them to bits and all want one but their parents won’t let them.
l Anyone interested can contact Angie on 07548 989331.