Kittens are frequently found in unusual places by stray cats. One wild mom cat, for example, thought a mound of tires to be the ideal spot to start her family. Employees at the Los Angeles auto shop had become used to the presence of the woman cat.

She wasn’t, however, a pleasant creature.

She kept her distance from the employees, and they kept theirs from her as well. The stray woman, however, gave birth to a brood of kittens in a stack of tires a few months ago. She even picked one that was “15 tires up” to keep her babies secure and hidden from prying eyes.

The new mom cat, predictably, did not allow anyone approach her. The cat, who was already cantankerous, was most likely a force to be reckoned with after giving birth. Employees at the auto business kept a watch on things from afar, but the mom cat never showed up.

After a few days, there was still no trace of the kitten…

The kittens were on their own, and because they’re so young, the litter was on the threat of collapse. Because she was an outside cat, the staff was concerned about her safety. They realized her kittens needed care because she wasn’t there.

“The kittens were in bad condition. Maggie had tried to keep one of the kittens warm by tucking him inside her shirt.”

“They are hungry and skinny, we will need all the good hopes and prayers we can get for these babies,” she said on Instagram on the first day.

The first night was difficult because they hadn’t eaten in a few days. “The first night (in their foster home), they had little feedings every two hours to protect their stomachs from getting irritated with the new food.”

After baths and a thorough examination, Ashley determined that all six kittens were baby males, “4 ginger guys, one dark brown, and one buff/champagne.”

All of the kittens, including the “runty” ones, had doubled their weight after a week. For small kittens, one week of good diet, according to Ashley, makes a tremendous impact. Because they are rapidly developing, their fuzzy bodies require a lot of energy and nutrients to keep up with their rising curiosity.

“Now they are all named after tire companies – Dunlop, Cooper, Falken, Toyo, Pirelli, and Michelin,” says the author.

Ashley’s “Tire Tabbies” are still with her, and they’re becoming stronger with each passing day.