It isn't easy being an orphaned kitten. It really isn't easy being the foster mom of orphaned kittens!
This little group came to Pet Haven recently. they're very cute, seem to have benefited from mom's milk for about 4 weeks so they weigh close to what they should and are plump and energetic. To keep them that way, they will need to be fed at least 4-5 times a day. With 5 babies, that takes time. Baths, washing bedding, pottying, scooping litterboxes, lots of things go into healthy kittens.
Where's mom? No one knows.
Our assumption is they were born outside or, perhaps, inside and the owner allowed mom to go outside.
She was probably out hunting for food for herself and has been injured, most likely run over, and is dead or simply cannot return to her family.
We hope that whomever found the kittens and turned them in will continue to search for mom, to see if we can get her spayed, help her to recover if that is possible.
On May 23rd a volunteer met a former volunteer to bring in 4 almost brand-new babies. They were born on May 20. Mom was very young or maybe she just wasn't cut out to be a mom.
She gave birth under a small tree and kept the kittens there. There were originally 9. Five had died by the time Pet Haven got them. One has since been euthanized.
These babies, who came in at right around 3 ounces each, did not have a protected place to be with mom, she was distraught at what had happened to her and did not know she needed to move them to protect them from wind and rain and to stay with them to help give them warmth and milk.
All have struggled, the smallest one, who was under 3 ounces, was euthanized when his digestive system failed.
One more has not gained weight in 3 days even though she has been bottled and tube fed the appropriate amount of calories each day. She, too, will probably be euthanized.
One of the kittens is gaining on schedule now, another one is struggling to gain weight. All of the kittens receive multiple baths a day to keep them clean from stool and urine. Even though they are pottied every 2 hours or sooner, their immature, stressed systems are unable to cooperate and stool leaks.
Life can be harsh, full of uncertainty and disease.
Why do we foster?
Some days it is not very rewarding.
Other days we get to see a healthy kitten or adult go to a new home where it will be loved and given vet care - for life, we hope.
Help us to help others.
Take in and surrender a stray cat if you are unable to give it a home.
All of the limited admission shelters, like Pet Haven, are full much of the time.
The Animal Humane Society is an open admission shelter and they lead the charge in placing the most cats and kittens in this area.
Just as you can help one cat or a group of kittens, or help someone get their cat or dog spayed so these kinds of things won't happen, you can also help by supporting your local humane society or limited admission shelter -
volunteer,
fund raise,
foster,
give.
We need everyone to help resolve the cat overpopulation problem.
There's a cat in your neighborhood that needs YOUR help.
We can only do it when we work together.
Pet Haven's kittens are not ready for adoption and are not spoken for until they weigh at least 2#. At that age they go to the vet for testing for feline leukemia and fiv. If negative, they begin their vaccinations, are spayed or neutered and microchipped. Once they have recovered from surgery you will see them posted on our website and then you can inquire about a specific cat or kitten. Check out this
link to see other cats and kittens ready for adoption.
