Greenland’s long winter season can be difficult for stray animals. The snowstorms and bitter cold can last well into spring — which means that, for cats and dogs fending for themselves, finding a safe haven is essential.
In mid-April, a young tabby cat was picked up off the streets of Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, and brought to area shelter Dyrenes Venner (which translates roughly to “Protector of Animals in Greenland”).
“Stray and lost cats have a really tough time during the winters up here,” Inunnguaq Christiansen, a board member at Dyrenes Venner, told The Dodo. “With freezing temperatures and frequent storms, they often have to seek shelter in the basements of older buildings.”
Volunteers named the friendly cat Ulla, and it was clear from the start just how grateful she was to be safe and warm. Ulla immediately made herself at home, cozying up to her rescuers, as well as the other cats, dogs and guinea pigs in the shelter.
“She’s very lovely and caring,” Christiansen said. “I brought my own dog, Yaris, to the shelter one time and Ulla immediately jumped on the cage.”
At just over a year old, Ulla’s motherly nature might have been a hint to her rescuers that there was something unusual about the new arrival. But no one guessed that the little cat might be hiding a secret.
As the weeks passed, the once-thin cat appeared to be putting on weight at an alarming rate — stranger still, Ulla was packing on the pounds in one specific spot.
“One of the volunteers came with the comment that Ulla was getting pretty big,” Christiansen said. “Upon closer inspection, it was only around the belly area, and her nipples were getting pretty stiff.”
