After caring for her kittens, a shelter cat spent a whole year dreaming of the day she would have her fairy tale ending.

Keko, a stunning calico cat, arrived at the Exploits Valley SPCA as a nursing mother, tenderly caring for her kittens. Shelter staff set them up in a comfortable nursery, hoping that once the kittens were old enough, they would all swiftly find their loving homes.

For the next eight weeks, Keko showered her little ones with unconditional love, teaching them the ways of the feline world and raising them into joyful, playful young cats. “She is one of the friendliest cats around. She loves people and can’t get enough attention,” the SPCA shared.

As each kitten reached the age for adoption and went off to new homes, Keko remained behind, the last one waiting for her happily ever after.

“The mother cats have to wait for weeks as they tend to their kittens, caring for them, teaching them. They wait as, one by one, each squirmy bundle of cuteness is adopted.”

Keko then joined the other shelter cats in a large room, settling into her small condo. As days turned into weeks, she was moved to a different room, where she shared the floor with other feline residents, patiently awaiting her chance for a dream home.

At one point, Keko held the record for the longest wait at the shelter, and the staff were baffled as to why such a charming cat had been overlooked for so long.

“She is adorable, petite in stature, meek, and has a mild personality. She gets along with almost anyone. Keko is a wallflower who could be overlooked if she’s sleeping in a cubby hole during visiting hours.”

After spending a year at the adoption center, Keko was adopted by a family, only for their resident cat to reject her. “Keko thought she had found her forever home. Unfortunately, she was returned due to the other cat in the house picking on her.”

During her brief stay with the family, the staff were surprised to discover her deep affection for the little humans in the household.