Feral Cat Family in Minnesota Becomes Global YouTube Sensation

A family of feral cats in northwestern Minnesota is quickly becoming internet stars.

Mama kitty and daughters Lila and Lucy and son Larry find themselves living in a heated cat condominium, the benefactors of a kind family and the subject of a YouTube livestream watched around the world.

But how did a young feral, pregnant cat in Frazee, Minnesota back in 2023 start all this?

HELPING MAMA KITTY

Kevin and Jill Mohn live in the Frazee area, southeast of Detroit Lakes.

Their daughter, Ashley, says "Such-a-Good-Mama" turned up in her parents' yard back in 2023, pregnant, thin and scared.

"My dad went to town to get a can of food and Mama inhaled it! She was very weak and appeared desperate. She hung around, my parents kept feeding her, and she slowly developed trust," Ashley says.

Ashley says one day, her parent saw three kitten heads pop up near a creek next to their neighbor’s house. As time went on, mama would get closer and closer.

She says her mom's dog, Ellie, was still alive at that point, but she had become very ill to the point of not barking anymore.

On the last day of Ellie's life, Ashley says, "in the dark, early morning, she found the last bit of energy and started barking and barking."

Jill Mohn was awake and went outside to see what was going on.

"My mom saw a wild animal run off -- a coyote or fox, maybe -- away from where the kitties were. It’s almost as if Ellie knew my mom needed something else to take care of."

Ellie passed away that day.

Soon after, Mama and her kittens started coming around. And of course, Kevin and Jill continued to feed them.

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CREATING A NEW HOME FOR THE GROWING FELINE FAMILY

And because Ellie's dog house wasn't being used anymore, the cats sheltered there and on some insulation in the garage.

The cats stuck around, so Kevin decided to turn the dog house into a cat condo before winter arrived.

And Ashley says her dad really got into it, adding details.

"My dad built this cat condo for them with ceramic bulbs for heat, and they love it. There are two doors for them to come and go as they please. The platform/deck is for their food and water, so the wild animals don't steal it from them. The bird feeder is their favorite as they love the entertainment it brings."

For her dad, Kevin, it was a labor of love.

"It gives him joy," she says.

But it's not only Jill and Kevin and Ashley who enjoy their feline friends -- it's people from around the globe who are watching the cat family in their Frazee condo.

A GLOBAL AUDIENCE

"My sister posted a picture of it on Facebook and it blew up," she says. It got "over 500K likes and 20-30K comments and shares."

And then people asked for a livestream of the maybe not-so-feral-anymore cat family.

"Given my background in mental health and using live streams in my office as a grounding tool, I figured it would be worth it! And here we are...people from all over the world tune in. It’s helped people in ways we couldn’t fathom."

Mind you, the livestream started on Christmas Day -- just days ago.

And already the Mohns are hearing from viewers from all over the planet.

"We have had people from Brazil, Australia, Germany, Denmark, the UK, Belgium, Canada, and Hawaii that I can recall for far away places."

And not all of those viewers are human. Ashley says the Mohns have also gotten pictures from those people and their pets.

"My favorite are the ones that followers send me of their cats watching the livestream."

LIVING THEIR BEST CAT LIVES

So for now, Mama kitty and her three kids are living their best lives before a global audience, 24/7.

"We have always enjoyed taking care of animals and nature," says Ashley. "My dad had no idea it would blow up like this but loves that we can share with the world how good it feels to care for others and keep animals fed and warm. People are connecting with one another, the cats, us, etc. It’s really heartwarming to see how much love there is in the world."

If you'd like to donate, the Mohns have the Paypal and Venmo accounts @UpNorthCatCondo. Donations go to food, treats and care for the kitties.

Ashley says, "Let us know if we can share your name and/or location to thank you for your donation."