One grandpa secretly raised kittens behind his wife’s back

Everyone knows that grandparents are total pushovers. Whether they’re letting their grandchildren stay up late during a sleepover or sneaking them candy when mom’s not looking, they totally have a soft spot for the little ones. For one grandpa in Puerto Rico, his sweet nature extends to the animal world, too. Jimmy, 85, has been secretly raising a litter of stray kittens after his wife said he couldn’t keep them.

The couple’s neighborhood is filled with stray cats, and one particular cat, who happened to be pregnant, took a liking to Jimmy. Despite his wife’s insistence that the expectant cat not be allowed in the house, Jimmy couldn’t help himself and let the cat stay in his shed in the backyard. Once the kittens were born, Jimmy’s wife still didn’t know about his secret cat sanctuary.

Jimmy’s granddaughter, Syl, was in on the secret, though. She let her Twitter followers know about her grandpa’s clandestine operation.

Syl says she wasn’t at all shocked that Jimmy went against her grandmother’s wishes. “My grandpa is really kind and has always loved animals,” she told The Dodo. “So it’s not really that surprising.”

She shared this sweet snap of Jimmy with one of the kittens on Twitter.

Although he tried to keep his new pets on the down-low, Jimmy’s wife eventually found out about the secret in the shed. According to Syl, her grandmother’s stance softened once she realized the kittens were here to stay.

“She’s okay with them staying there until they’re old enough to have new homes,” Syl said.

Although Jimmy technically betrayed his wife’s trust, it hasn’t seemed to affect their relationship. Syl also tweeted out this touching series of photos of her grandparents looking oh-so-in-love.

While the kittens and their mother are doing just fine in Jimmy’s care, The Dodo notes that many other pets in the area need loving homes. Visit the Puerto Rico Animal Society to learn how you can help.

[h/t: The Dodo]