What began as a good deed ended with a big surprise: a man initially thought he was saving one stray cat – 48 hours later, he was astonished to see more kitties had suddenly appeared!

The cat rescuer shared a photo on Reddit that has since gone viral, showing a white, cuddly cat curled up in a cozy basket with a soft blanket.

But that's not all, because there are several tiny lookalike kittens next to her.

The surprise came instantly, as no one had expected any offspring.

"I thought I rescued one cat and two days later this happened," wrote the astonished pet owner above the picture.

The community immediately reacted enthusiastically, with the post collecting over 70,000 likes and hundreds of comments within a very short space of time.

One user joked, "You got a bunch of marshmallows, one pre-toasted."

Another commented dryly, "At least it was cats. My sister had that happen with a rescue horse!"

While the new cat mom looks a bit like she doesn't have time for small talk in the photo, users are celebrating her as a true relatable queen.

One comment summed it up: "Mama looks just as annoyed and inconvenienced as you probably do."

Incidentally, it is not at all unusual for cats to be able to hide their pregnancy well. They often only show clearer signs shortly before giving birth.