Tuesday, August 30, 2016

take a deep breath

*a post from the mom
Some of my friends know part of this story, but here is the whole thing.

Just over a couple of weeks ago, a friend I volunteer with mentioned that she had seen some kittens on a construction site (she works for the city water department). We talked about options and I offered her my trap to catch the family. I figured a rescue that focuses on TNR would be a good fit and that under the circumstances I would be ok getting permission after the fact. And I got the go ahead a couple of days later.
Unfortunately the mom cat moved the kittens, but after several attempts (and keeping in mind my friend isn't on site every day so that slowed everything down), the kittens were found last Tuesday (a week ago now) and the mom cat was caught later that day.

Mom is tiny, black, fuzzy and feral. No doubt about the feral thing either.... the hope was maybe she was scared and had been abandoned, but she has been calling me names from the start.

The mom cat got flea meds on the way to the house and the kittens got a bath once we were all home. They are SO tiny....their teeth are coming in and based on the timeline, they have to be at least a month old. I know this is going to be a battle. 3 black kittens, 1 gray one. There was a fifth one, but a driver had seen the mom cat drop it as she was presumably moving kittens over a week before we caught the rest of the family and took it home with him - their family has had bottle babies before and I got an update last Thursday that the kitten is doing well and they are going to keep him (or her).

Tuesday night was a long one. The gray kitten started going downhill and I pulled him out. I sat with him and tried to warm him up and get him to eat with no luck. I finally took him into the bathroom where I had moved Marilyn and her kittens when I put the feral mom in the large crate. Marilyn took to the baby right away, but I knew his chances were slim. I kept checking on everyone during the night. It is hard to get a feel for the other kittens since I can't really see them if they are curled up with each other or with mom - it is just one black blob.

Unfortunately, the gray kitten passed away Tuesday night. Considering his condition, I wasn't surprised, but it still hurts to know that I couldn't save him.

Wednesday was a long day. I tried to move the web cam so I could see in the crate, but managed to actually disconnect the camera somehow, so that was a bust. (it is back online now [more or less] and I am NOT moving it ever again - haha) I work about 20 minutes from home (if traffic is moving) so running home at lunch isn't an option. 

I finally made it home after work. I went into the foster room and the kittens were quiet. Knowing I wanted to check on them, I still hesitated. It was the ultimate moment we face as fosters: if you don't check, you don't know; but if you don't check, you can't get bad news. 

I pulled up the sheet covering the crate and 3 little black kittens were walking around and started meeping when they saw the light.

I put my head down on the crate and took the first deep breath of the day.

They still may not make it. I know that. They are so tiny and fragile. They are older than Marilyn's kittens but about about half their size. I will have an update later in the week as decisions are made about how to keep them going. The issue for the moment is that I can't reliably get my hands on them since their momma is very freaked out.

Oh - and as for mom....there is another city site that actually built a shelter for their ferals (YAY). Mom cat will be spayed and ear tipped and moved down there. Ideally she would be taken back to her original location, but this other site is much safer and she will be watched over there as well.
black cat with 3 black kittens
the name Fiona has been running around in my head, 
so that is the name mom will have from now on
No names for the kittens yet....

19 comments:

  1. So sorry about the gray kitten. That is always so sad when one so young passes away. So glad there is a place for the Mom to go when it is time. You all are so great to do all this for the cats. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We're sorry for the little gray kitten. We're glad you could save the mom and the three black kittens. You do such a wonderful work for all the kitties in need ! Purrs

    ReplyDelete
  3. How precious! I can't even imagine how hard it is to lose one, despite all your efforts. Hopefully the others will be okay and Mom will calm down a little bit. I admire you so much for all you do.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are so sorry that the little one didn't make it. and the others have our best purrayers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope that you know how very important your work is with the cats and kittens, and everything you do makes a difference! I am sorry 'bout the grey kitten, and am sending loads of warm thoughts for the remaining three.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That mom is beautiful! Too bad she is so unabashedly feral. I'm purring lots for the three remaining kittens to pull through this fragile period.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am glad Fiona will get a nice place to live. I will be praying for these babies, I am sorry about the gray one.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh they are so cute and fuzzy! Love them! Fiona is adorable, what a shame she's so feral!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So sorry to hear about the grey kitten. We admire you so much for all that you do to help ferals and rescued cats.

    ReplyDelete
  10. blessings two ewe fiona & yur wee onez...may st francis keep ewe all in hiz care N may ewe all live happee happee happee healthee livez ~~~~~~ Godspeed little Gray ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am sorry the little grey kitten didn't make it. You are doing a wonderful job rescuing the mum and her babies.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us this story and for rescuing these beautiful cats! We are so sorry about the little gray kitty—it is heartbreaking. We are sending you all good vibes about the remaining kitties and their beautiful mom. You are a saint in our book!

    ReplyDelete
  13. And this is why we are so thankful there are people out there like you doing what you do. We're sorry the grey kitten didn't make it, but now the other kits and mom still have a chance.

    We have a question. Does a feral cat when it gets moved to another location take to it just fine or does it try to go back to its original location? We wonder how easy it is to move a feral kitty to another location.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm so sorry about the gray kitten. They are so fragile. It is always hard.

    ReplyDelete
  15. So sorry to hear about the little gray kitten. I hope that the other kittens will thrive and feral mom will get a little less freaked out by your presence.

    I hear the pain in your words and I feel for you, as I know you would love to save them all. The work you do to help these little ones and their moms is so wonderful - if you hadn't taken them in, it would seem likely there would be a greater loss.

    ((((hugs))))

    ReplyDelete
  16. she or he should only produce quality content focused on the needs of audience that's intrigued in advertising content. http://thedigitalaltitudeaspirereview.com/

    ReplyDelete
  17. I know that ultimate moment all too well. I am sorry about the gray kitten..

    ReplyDelete
  18. So sorry to hear about the little gray kitten. I hope the others pull through.

    ReplyDelete
  19. As you know we have a Fiona. She is our six-year-old with CKD who Mom adores with all her heart. We hope that name brings feral mom good luck. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

    ReplyDelete

We love to hear from you.....