Thursday, April 3, 2014

the kitten roller coaster

Well, as it sometimes happens, fostering isn't all about the cute and the wonderful.

Mom had doubts about the momma cat, and she was proved right. Being trapped and brought inside freaked her out too much and she wasn't caring for the kittens.

Mom got home last night and the kittens weren't doing well.... the mom cat hadn't eaten overnight or during the day and the girls were cool to the touch. Mom packed them off to the rescue vet and called the head of the rescue.

This little girl that mom was calling LT for lighter tortie, didn't make it. She was struggling and it wasn't fair to make her suffer anymore.


Luckily there was another foster that lives close to the vet. She has a mom with four kittens about the same age (though a little bigger). The head of the rescue made the arrangements and after kissing LT goodbye, mom packed up these too - known as DT and OB (mom hadn't named anyone yet) - and headed over to the other foster house.

This other mom is a white short hair cat and had been trapped - and had the kittens in the trap!! But holy moly is she super sweet. She has a white kitten, an orange kitten, a black and white kitten and a gray and white kitten. And now she has another orange kitten and a tortie. They did it slowly, but when the mom cat climbed into a large carrier with her kittens, mom slowly put DT in with her. And the OB was introduced. No one was nursing when mom left, but the momma cat was being wonderful. Her kittens were next to her and OB had climbed up and was laying on top of everyone. DT was laying over the momma cats front leg with her head on her paw. Miss Alyssa is going to keep us posted on the kitts. (as of 8:30am, no update)

The bigger challenge was then catching the mom cat this morning and getting her in a live trap to get her spayed.

Our momma cat had freaked out over night and things were all over the bathroom. However, she was wedged in a corner when mom got up and mom managed to push her with a broom into the live trap. Off to the clinic and mom will be spayed, tested, ear tipped and returned to her original colony. And...thanks to a grant from Petsmart Charities, her spay and rabies shot is paid for. (we love it when a large company gives these grants - they donated enough to this clinic to pay for 400 spay/neuters in April)  Oh - and since it was late last night and mom was tired, she decided to call the momma cat EMC...since her name is relative. (haha - Einstein's theory of relativity is E=MC2)
~~~~~~~
10am update - the kittens with the new mom are doing well. made it through the night. DT decided to take a walk in the middle of the night out into the foster room, but her foster mom found her and put her back. everyone is eating and doing well. no guarantees, but one less worry

27 comments:

  1. The poor little kitten. :-( No, rescuing and fostering isn't all good.

    I hope you get a positive update on DT and OB with their new mom, though.

    And I feel oh, so sorry for the momma cat, EMC. So frightened. I'm glad she's off to be spayed, etc., and then returned to her colony. The boys are sending her purrs, and purrs for her kittens too, now in their new temporary home.

    (((Hugs)))

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  2. Wasn't DT the precocious one who opened her eyes early? And now she is taking a walk around her new foster home.
    I'm sorry one didn't make it--but glad the other two have adapted pretty quickly to a new foster cat mother and the cat has accepted a larger brood.
    Please keep us posted.

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    1. yep - same trouble maker (if you look in the middle picture, you can sorta see her eyes)

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  3. WOW, that's a lot of ups and downs. God bless all involved. Isn't it wonderful that the white mama cat will foster the babies!
    I hope the other mama cat will do ok. She's probably just extremely scared!
    Play bows,
    Zim

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  4. So sorry for the little tortie. :( It's true - kittens aren't always fun. It's hard work. Thank you for what you do to help them.

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  5. That is sad. We are so sorry. Hopefully the two that are with the other Mom, will do all right. And that the wild Mother will be happier when she goes back to her place.

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  6. Aw, sorry for the little one. But glad the kittens have another mom cat to take them in. Poor first mom cat, what a shame she couldnt be happy indoors. You're wonderful, Jeanne, for taking such good care of all of them and doing what's best!

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  7. I am sending lots of purrs to the two surviving kittens! I'm so glad there was a foster mom ready to take them.

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  8. That's too bad about the little kitten. We want all of them to make it and live happy lives, but sometimes, it just doesn't work out. If the momma hadn't been caught, the other two kittens may have died, too, and their mum would go on to have more. Rescuers do what they can.

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  9. I am sorry about the little one but sometimes it is just not meant to be as cruel as that sounds. Now momma will have a better life and I'm sure the other two will be fine

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    1. not cruel....just the truth as hard as it is sometimes

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  10. Oh gees, I wish Mommy would just come and cuddle me instead of getting all leaky eyed. The Tortie baby did her in but at the same time she is super grateful for your quick action and that the others have a mommy cat we hope, to help nurse these babies.

    Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your work for these innocents.

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  11. RIP little LT. We're so glad DT and OB are doing well with their Milk Mommy. :)
    Sending EMC lots of calming purrs.

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    1. "Milk Mommy" MOL we like that..... we are sure EMC will be ok once she is back with her colony

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  12. sorree guys ♥♥♥♥ we dunno how yur mom doez it....de food serviss ladee heer in TT wood be a baskit case...heerz two all de best for de wee ones N mom..... N momz....

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  13. What a roller-coaster indeed. We are crossing paws that the remaining two thrive with their foster mom.

    Purrs
    The Chans

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  14. Sending of hugs and purrs for a smoother road ahead. We needs a gazillion more people like you in the world.

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  15. We are sad about DT, and we hope that DT and OB continue to do well with their foster kitty-mom. We will think good thoughts of them tonight, and of EMC, who is probably glad to be back in her colony, even though it makes us sad to know she couldn't stay in a safer home. Thank you for all you do for them.

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  16. Thank you from the bottoms of our formerly feral hearts for doing the absolute best you could.

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  17. Never pleasant when a baby is lost; but then you save so many others...blessings, Nana

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  18. We're so sorry LT didn't make it. :( We hope the other 2 will be okay. And EMC too.

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  19. Saw the update on Facebook, so sorry the little girls didn't make it. I certainly hope OB does well with his foster momma cat.

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  20. Sometimes, there just isn't anything you can do. At least there was another momma kittie willing to step in.

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  21. It must be so traumatic for the adult cats, especially moms, who are trapped. I hope her vet work gets done quickly, she recovers fast, and can find a place where she feels safe. Glad the two kits are being accepted. Paws crossed they thrive.

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  22. So very sorry...it's a blessing though in this world, with these most fragile of lives, that there are foster parents like you that can feel the heartbreak but keep fostering...as there are so many babies that need our help.

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  23. We were so saddened to hear about the one that didn't make it and are rooting for the remaining two!!

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