Another Cat’s Tale

My wife, Lisa, was approached last November by the foster coordinator at ADL (Animal Defense League of Texas). We have been active as shelter volunteers since last summer. Lisa loves working in the cattery helping to socialize the cats waiting to be adopted and I split my time between the cats and the dog kennels where I walk the dogs. Being involved with the shelter has made us painfully aware of a growing problem. When pet owners do not get their pets spayed or neutered, it leads inevitably to much pain and suffering by their unwanted offspring.

Our time commitment to ADL up that point had been minimal until Lisa got the call to foster some kittens… 6 kittens only 4 weeks old. Their mother had contracted mastitis and could no longer nurse her kittens. They were being forced weaned at 4 weeks. The shelter needed volunteers to take them in until they reached 2 pounds, around 8 weeks old. At two pounds, the kittens could be spayed or neutered and put up for adoption. After fostering our 3 abandoned puppies that summer for ACS (Animal Control Services) or the “city pound,” we agreed to give it a shot and foster cats.

Since the kittens were so young and would still have still been nursing, we had a bit of a challenge. We had to introduce them to solid food by mixing canned kitten food, water and formula in little bowls. They learned how to lap the soupy mix. Our first attempts were comical disasters. We had to add canned pumpkin to control their diarrhea and they were a mess of orange faces and paws. We began putting then in the bath tub to feed. When they were through, we would pull them out and clean them off one at a time. When they eventually transitioned to dry food, it was a great day. We affectionately referred to them as the “seagulls” because when we opened the bathroom door, they would come running, sounding like a flock of seagulls. Some of the kittens went back to the shelter early with medical problems, but eventually they reached weight and left us. The house was quiet again much to the relief of our house cats Babs and Calie.

Our next call for help came just after New Year’s 2012. A woman had turned in a very pregnant mama cat, who we named Jasmine. The woman knew the owners who had lived in her apartment complex. The family moved one night and left Jasmine to fend for herself. The woman began feeding Jasmine until she realized she was pregnant. It was winter and she could not take the cat into her apartment to give birth.

Lisa and Jasmine bonded almost immediately at the shelter. When Lisa arrived, Jasmine was cowering in the corner, but walked right up to her and began nuzzling her. We fixed up a little warm box in the corner of our guest bathroom and began to wait for “the blessed event.” Jasmine was very restless and craving attention. Lisa began spending more and more time with her. On the second or third night, Lisa took a blanket and pillow into the bathroom for the night. Lisa woke up in the middle of the night as the first of 4 kittens was born. Jasmine was running around and freaked out. Bravely, Lisa picked up the newborn kitten and brought it to its mother. Jasmine began licking and cleaning her baby and Lisa helped calm her down. Lisa came in and woke me up and together we waited for the rest of the kittens to be born. Two more arrived about an hour later within minutes of one another. The first born was a male and the next two were females. Then things quieted down. We had 3 kittens. We were not sure if that was it or not, but we were exhausted and Jasmine was in charge of her new family. There was a flurry of licking and cleaning and nursing so we went to bed. Number four, another male, was born after we went to bed. When we checked later that morning Jasmine and her 4 babies were doing just fine.

We became especially close to Jasmine and her kittens, Sammy, Tiger Lily, Chico and Zinnia. As they got older their little personalities really came out. The 4 little “white lumps” were evolving into beautiful little kittens with very interesting markings. Tiger Lily and Zinnia were cream color with dark points and marking like their mother. The two males, Sammy and Chico, were white. Chico, the first born, had a dark spot on top of his head. All but Zinnia reached their two pounds by their 8th week. She stayed behind with Jasmine for an extra week to gain weight. Jasmine stayed behind with us after Zinnia left to let her milk dry up. It was heart breaking to watch her walk around the house calling for her kittens, but Sammy and Zinnia were already adopted by two of our friends and the other two were adopted shortly after going to the shelter. It was hard to see Jasmine go back. In that last week, she bonded with our two house cats, Calie and Babs. We took one last picture of the 3 of them looking out the window together. Jasmine is still waiting for her forever home and remains at the shelter. We go and visit every chance we get.

Our third call for help came 2 days after Jasmine and the kittens left us. The foster coordinator had a young mother cat that had given birth to two kittens. Small litters are not unusual for first pregnancies when the mother is still a kitten herself. One of the two kittens died before we could pick her up. The shelter named the mother cat “Spotty Girl,” but we renamed her “Pearl” and the surviving kitten “Little Grey” since he was grey and white like his mother.

No sooner had we arrived home with our new charges when we got another call from the foster coordinator. Another foster had several newborn kittens without a mother. She was bottle feeding them and one of the newborns was not doing well on the formula. We were asked if we could take one more kitten, since it was the same age as Little Grey, and see if Pearl would accept it as her own. There was a risk that she might reject it and the kitten would die. On the other hand the thought of having only one kitten in the litter and no playmate for Little Grey helped make the decision for us. We went back to ADL that same day and added “Corrie” to the family. Pearl began nursing both kittens right away. You would never know that Corrie was not her own.

Corrie and Little grey gained weight quickly. Corrie loved to curl up in Lisa’s lap at the computer on days the cats were allowed in the sun room, but Little Grey was more restless and preferred to explore. Pearl, being not much more than a kitten herself, often tried to play with her kittens, which was scary at times since she was so much bigger, but Pearl was a good mom. She was very protective of her two and did not get along with our two house cats at all. Later on, Pearl began going into heat every few weeks and would wander around meowing loudly and looking out the window for “boys.” Then she started peeing on things when she wasn’t happy.

One morning, not long before the kittens were to go back to the shelter for neutering and adoption, Lisa went for a walk. On her walk, she saw a box with holes punched in it. The top had been taped but someone had torn it open then left it by the side of the street. When Lisa looked in she found 4 black kittens covered with ants and fleas. The kittens were resting on a bunch of children’s clothes and a handfull of cat chow had been thrown in the box, which attracted the ants. Lisa brought them home and gave them all baths and fed them. We had to get creative about accommodations. Now, we had Pearl and her two kittens, our two house cats and our newest arrivals: Jet, an all black male, Ebony, an all black female, Tippy, a tuxedo male and Panda, a tuxedo female. Nine cats in all!

Corry and Little Grey were the first to leave for the shelter and a week later their mother Pearl followed. We kept them in the sunroom and kitchen which meant our two house cats were confined to our bedroom and the new kittens were confined to the guest bathroom. Our house cats were glad to regain access to their house once Pearl was gone, but they raced by the guest bathroom door not wanting to know what other strange creatures had been dragged into their house.

Jett and Tippy next to the play area I built.

Ebony & Panda

We were able to get the new kittens into the ADL foster program. They were about 6 weeks old when we found them so they are just about ready to head back to the shelter for shots, spaying and neutering and finally, adoption. These four abandoned kittens have been a delight. All but Panda have made their weight. Panda has been very slow to gain and may have to stay with us another week or two. This concerns us since she would be alone without playmates. We are going to see if we can keep the other female, Ebony, behind to keep her company.

One obstacle to adoption is color. Black cats often get adopted last so it may take awhile for our little black kittens. The last time we checked, Jasmine, Pearl and her two kittens were still at the shelter awaiting their forever homes. This time of year all the shelters get inundated with puppies and kittens because too many pet owners let their pets roam free without being spayed or neutered. ADL is a no kill shelter but their resources are stretched thin. Foster volunteers can give some relief to the shelters, but far too many animals are abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Those animals that survive produce more unwanted cats and dogs and so the cycle continues. All of our cats and puppies were rescues, including our house cats Babs and Calie. The kittens we foster are the lucky ones. They will all be spayed or neutered, given their shots and micro chipped before adoption. They won’t be killed or die abandoned.

Perhaps it is time to spread the word about being responsible pet owners and get your pets spayed and neutered. Shelters need foster volunteers. Check out your local shelter and ask how you can help. Become part of the solution.

Food for THOUGHT…