Cheezburger iconCheezburgerAug 12, 2026 ~1 min source read

Expecting father saves a kitten from a highway, tries to do the responsible thing and give him up, and gets as far as the Humane Society parking lot before turning back home with h...

There's no denying the parental instinct that kicks inside us when we see a kitten in need. I remember when my daughter went out into the world, her first few seconds were spent staring at the ceiling lights, while a sense of immense responsibility came over me.

Expecting father saves a kitten from a highway, tries to do the responsible thing and give him up, and gets as far as the Humane Society parking lot before turning back home with h...

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Useful takeaways from this story.

There's no denying the parental instinct that kicks inside us when we see a kitten in need.

I remember when my daughter went out into the world, her first few seconds were spent staring at the ceiling lights, while a sense of immense responsibility came over me.

It's one thing to say "parents are responsible for their kids", and totally another to feel it burning in your bones.

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The useful part

There's no denying the parental instinct that kicks inside us when we see a kitten in need. I remember when my daughter went out into the world, her first few seconds were spent staring at the ceiling lights, while a sense of immense responsibility came over me. It's one thing to say "parents are responsible for their kids", and totally another to feel it burning in your bones.

How it works

  • Research shows that expectant fathers undergo measurable biological and hormonal changes while waiting for their baby to be born that help prepare their bodies and brains for caregiving.
  • It was probably the closest thing to a divine revelation I have ever experienced (and I'm a total atheist).
  • Parental instinct is a real, tangible thing, that I find I can't explain to anyone who's not a parent.
  • Sometimes, this parental instinct is activated when a person sees a kitten in need.
  • Yes, men definitely do experience significant pre-parenting hormonal shifts while awaiting a baby.

What to take from it

So imagine all that spiraling within you for months, and then you see a little baby abandoned and in danger.

Details worth keeping

If this not-yet-father felt even half of what I...

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