The same woman who found Avis on her porch with the babies, called me this morning and told me about this beautiful Siamese kitten (also in the trailer park) who is pregnant. I went over to see and found this little girl heavily pregnant, scared out of her wits and I talked with Athena about how to trap the little one (without using a trap) Instead, I left her a carrier. I told her my procedure on trapping pregnant females and that I don’t like to use the traps because the cat can injure herself trying to get out- they seem to settle down better in a carrier. So I explained my process and told her it takes time- they don’t just run into the carrier as a rule. I left her food and told her to feed multiple times every day because mom is very depleted. Then I went home.

No sooner had I settled down in my chair, the phone rang and it was Athena and she said she not only caught the pregnant one- but another one was in there with her as well!  I was ecstatic because where this little one had decided to have her babies was not safe at all or very warm. But she had been hiding inside this cardboard box all night according to Athena. So I rushed over, ran both the kittens to the vet and Athena (I named the Siamese after the Good Samaritan who alerted me to her) was so close to giving birth- her nipples were waxing over that the vet decided to spay her after hours! She had 8 babies inside of her- they are no more- but she is way to young to have handled that type of delivery without issues, The other cat is also a kitten 5 months old- tuxedo boy and they are keeping him to neuter him tomorrow. They both tested negative for the nasties which I was glad for as Avis has not been tested yet.

There are so many cats in this trailer park- it breaks my heart. As I was driving out, I saw one old tom who had both ear flaps torn off! He was a mess. I stopped the truck and jumped out to see if I could get close- but he took off like a shot. he is my next project, he is a mess.

I also took Trump in today for a scheduled appointment (Not Donald either!) Trump is a 17 year old boy with a mess in his mouth. Stomatitis, inflamed lymph nodes and even though I have him since he was four weeks old- he is so painful that everytime I tried to look in his mouth- he would fight to stop me or lock his jaw down and refuse to open wide. He has stopped grooming himself- eats very little and he drools horribly and has stinky breath. I knew I had to do something. We gave him an antibiotic shot that is good for 2 weeks because pilling him would be painful for both he and I- and he got a steroid shot. If we don’t see an improvement in two weeks, we will give him a hug and send him to the Bridge. We just don’t have the funds to do a full extraction of all his teeth and he is an old kitty. But I am happy to report that when we got home and I fed him something besides baby food- he did eat! So I am hopeful.

If anyone can send anything to us to help cover the costs of today’s and tomorrows procedure, we would sure appreciate it. I will put pictures up when the kittens come home so you can see how beautiful they both are.

I just got back from picking up a new family. They were born early this morning in the pouring  rain on a porch at a local trailer park. I have named the young mom Avis in honor of my best friend who recently passed away. The kittens are not yet named. Avis is quite young and so far she isn’t paying much attention to her new family, but I think in a few hours when she settles- it will be fine. For now, I am supplementing her babies with kitty glop every two hours. I am grateful the woman did not just leave the mom and babies outside and she brought them in out of the cold even though she says she only loves dogs. I am not sure, but Avis is quite fat so she might still have a kitten or two inside. They were covered in fleas which have all been dealt with- but now officially, it is Mother’s Day here and kitten season is well underway-

On that note, just received a lovely mother day’s gift in the form of an email. here it is

Hi! 

I just wanted to write to you and let you know that your website saved a minutes old baby kitty.

Last Friday, our cat surprisingly gave birth early in the morning. (We thought we had more time.)

She gave birth to her first in the cold bathtub. Imagine my sons surprise when he yelled out to me. He thought it was dead and it wasn’t moving for at least 2 minutes. So, sadly I started to take a towel and slowly begin to think of the rough task at hand of removing the wet and cold kitten. (He was COLD). All of a sudden, my son screams again HE MOVED… Now As I am running, I grab the phone, Google, and your website comes up. I only saw … There is still time… Blow dry the kitten on low, not his face. Keeping it warm is paramount. 

Those words saved his life. I blew him dry an held him until mom came back. She smelled him  and sort of shunned him for 10 minutes, but I kept reintroducing him. She had her second and I was with her as she ate the placenta. Once I took the second, we had a box ready for them and I put both in. She looked at the first as if he were alien. I kept reintroducing him. She didn’t feed him for a while. She had her third and I made sure he was in the mix. She cleaned the second and third and I introduced the first to her nipple. It took a bit of time and I stayed with her. About an hour later, she was feeding all of them. The first kitten has bounced back clutching at that nipple for dear life. 

I guess that mom was shocked the first survived. I know I was. She is a patient and good mom. 

Thanks to your website www.kitten-rescue.com , the litter mates are enjoying their new lives together.

Maria

Mother, I know you can no longer at times remember my name
I know that our past has been turbulent
I know you miss Daddy as much as we do
I know, I would have never wished on you all you are going through in your day.
I know that I love you, regardless
I pray for you to have a pain-free Mother’s Day and your memories when you catch them will be warm and comforting

Happy Mother’s Day

This morning, while feeding, I heard a familiar meow in the bushes. I whirled around to see a black kitty (Salem) rolling over and over on her back begging me to pet her! Whoever got hit on the road yesterday, was not part of our clowder. At feeding time all blacks  have been accounted for. I did post on FB lost pets about the girl who got hit. She showed all signs of being well cared for and someone is missing their kitty. I am glad it wasn’t Salem but sad that someone else is also feeling the loss of a black cat.

We lost Salem last night. Had her for seven years and adopted her out once when she was a year old and it didn’t work out and she returned back to us. After that adoption, she changed and refused to come inside wanting instead, to live outdoors and hunt and just be a cat.If she found herself inside the enclosure, she showed all the signs of restlessness- prowling, crying circling until I finally gave in and opened the door and gave her the freedom she craved.

I found her on the road this morning. I don’t know what possesses them to go out on a busy road when they have all our four acres to roam, a creek to play in and all the food and water and shelter they need.

We got Salem when I received a frantic phone call from a girl who said her boyfriend had just bought home a kitten. She of course said she was delighted to see this black bundle and expected he would hand it over to her. Not so- he was planning on feeding the kitten to his pet boa! She said she cried, and begged and pleaded and he wouldn’t budge, so she went in the kitchen and made drinks and spiked his pretty heavily. He crashed out on the couch and she called me. I was there within 45 minutes of the call. Salem was about 4 weeks old at the time.

In the mornings, when I would go out to feed, she would come over to me, flop over on her belly and beg me to rub her belly. No more belly rubs and thankfully, she did not suffer in the end but that gives me no comfort at the moment.

My owie is still fairly prevalent so I need to go. But Salem, her life mattered and I wanted her to know that before I start my day-