LINCOLN — With a name like Hammie, a 1-year-old Lincoln bulldog was bound to be sweet.
But Michelle Parden’s dog is getting national and international attention for befriending
and cuddling six orange feline friends. In October, Parden’s friend Gayla Hausman,
director of Voice for Companion Animals in Beatrice, posted on Facebook that she needed to find
a foster home for a pregnant cat to have her kittens. The cat, named Mommy, was a stray found in Valparaiso, Neb.
The Parden family already had two bulldogs, Honey and Hammie, and a cat. But being animal lovers,
the Pardens volunteered.When Mommy arrived in Lincoln she had an eye infection, fleas, an upper respiratory infection
and was underweight. Despite the health issues the orange cat gave birth to six kittens on Halloween. Parden, with the help of her 7-year-old son Max, named them Pumpkin, Goblin, Frankenstein, Batman, Zombie and Elvira.Concerned Mommy would be afraid of the dogs,
Parden kept the cat and the kittens separate from the dogs. Slowly she started introducing the cats to the dogs by bringing in blankets that the dogs had used.
Then it was time for the kittens to meet Hammie.
“I did it to socialize the cats,” Parden said. “I wasn’t trying to get photo ops.”But when her English bulldog stood over the kittens, nudged them with his nose
and then plopped down next to them for a nice cuddle, Parden couldn’t help but snap a few photos with her phone.
The kittens and Hammie typically spent hours together.“I swear he thought he was the mom,” Parden said.
Mommy is now healthy and living with Zombie in a new home. The five other kittens have also been adopted.
Long live the Hammie! Long live the Mommy! Long live the kittens!
