When kitty foster mom Lori White, who lives in Indianapolis, took in a female ginger cat and her four kittens, who were also all ginger-colored she already knew the perfect names for all of them. Mama kitty earned the name Goldie, while her kittens became known as “The Golden Girls” — after the popular ’80s sitcom that introduced the world to Sophia, Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche.

“I remember the show from when I was a little kid and always have loved Betty White. I’ve always had a soft spot for gingers and wanted to use the names,” Lori says. “When I found out that they were all girls, it was a perfect fit!”

Initially, she wanted to use names related to sunshine but when she found out all of them were girls, Lori knew the Golden Girls’ names were just the perfect fit.

“I thought Mama Goldie and her Golden Girls sounded super cute!” she says.

The little family was found in the basement of an empty house, and there was no food or water. Fortunately, all are now safe. But the unusual thing about this little troop of gingers is that all of the kittens are female, which is, in fact, kind of a rare thing.

“I’ve heard that only 20 percent of ginger cats are female, so to have an entire litter of females is very unusual!” Lori says.
Research bears this out: About 80 percent of orange tabby kitties are male, notes Cat Town.

But even though each baby is ginger, all of them have different and unique personalities. The more challenging part, however, was telling them apart, so Lori devised a simple system.

“When I first got them, I had to use a dot of nail polish on the tip of Dorothy’s and Sophia’s ears to tell them apart. Sophia had a dot on her right ear, Dorothy on the left. Blanche didn’t have a dot. Rose is darker orange like her mom, so she was easier to identify,” she said. “As they got older, I was able to tell them apart based on their striping and spots on their sides.”

Dorothy is the largest of the kittens, which seems fitting since TV Golden Girl Dorothy (Bea Arthur) was the tallest of the girls. Like her outspoken counterpart, she was also the most adventurous, being the first of the kittens to leave the foster room to check out the other rooms in the house. Sophia was also a tiny explorer.

“Sophia was the first to walk up to our large dog, with no fear, and rolled on the ground trying to play with her,” Lori says.

Cute little Rose has the “softest” personality—kind of like Rose Nylund (Betty White) and she was the most attached to Mama Goldie. Meanwhile, little Blanche seems to be the most self-contained of the bunch.

“Blanche is in the middle of the litter with energy levels and is content to keep her own company or play with her sisters,” Lori says.

These adorable babies were definitely lucky — not just because foster mom Lori loves her kittens, but also because Goldie is an awesome mama.

“When the girls were younger, she was obsessed with keeping them clean! No one could escape her after eating! She would pin them down to make sure they all had their baths!” Lori says.

Another cute fact about Goldie is that she loves to sing, ” especially in the morning,” Lori says. “She has a really pretty trill and is very vocal.” She’s also very friendly and easily made friends with the other cats and dogs in Lori’s home.

“She is very eager for attention and will jump on your lap as soon as you sit down,” she says.
And the good news is, that Dorothy, the biggest kitten, has already been spayed and has a new home, while Sophia and Rose have found a home together. Mama Goldie also has a new home, thanks to a retired veterinarian and her husband. Little Blanche is going to her new family in a few days.

For Lori, who has been fostering through the Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership for the past four years, caring for cats has always been a labor of love. The best part of fostering is “being part of the journey of sick, abandoned or homeless kittens and cats.”

“Watching their transformation from the time they arrive until they get adopted is very rewarding,” she says. “Showing them love, telling them that their lives matter, giving them a voice, and providing them a chance that they would not have otherwise had is the reason why I foster.”

“Being able to help match them with their forever families has allowed me to make some new friends, as many of our adopters keep in touch and send photo updates. These happy updates always make me smile! I also enjoy being able to help educate the community on the importance of rescue work and fostering in order to save lives.”

Just as the original Golden Girls have stayed in our hearts, sweet kittens Dorothy, Sophia, Rose, and Blanche will also be there too. Thank goodness for kind people like Lori, who understand that every kitten is special and deserves a loving home.

All these adorable photos are courtesy of Lori White.