Kittens, kittens and more kittens. This year we have noticed that unspayed female cats seem to have delayed pregnancy. This may be due to unseasonable weather or just the vagaries of cats! Usually by late March, the cattery is full to overflowing with Moms and their kittens but they have only started to arrive to us from late April. The cattery is bursting at the seams with kittens, from newborns upwards. Still they continue to arrive and, although we all love kittens, it is a sad fact that many people do not spay the female cat and once the cat is pregnant her fate is sealed. She is either dumped prior to the birth or, more cruelly, the kittens, once born, are abandoned by people at a roadside, thrown in to a river to drown or locked in a shed; there to die a lingering painful death. Their pitiful mewling is seldom heard by passers-by and it is the very lucky ones that are found and brought to us. These innocent mites need to be bottle fed with milk specially formulated for kittens: bottle-fed every two hours around the clock for four to six weeks! This requires a very special person and Mo Chara Animal Rescue consider themselves to be most fortunate in that Nikki Veasey, well known in Thurles, is the woman who, uncomplainingly, feeds and cares for these little creatures. Not every kitten will survive because, despite the devoted care given by Nikki, some kittens are doomed from the start. Their Mom’s were never vaccinated, were not fed a correct diet during pregnancy or were left to fend for themselves at a time when they most needed help, a little extra food for the growing life within. Mother cats in poor health will often deliver stillborn kittens and for those who make it through a difficult birth, the outcome is bleak. Knowing this makes no difference to Nikki, she fights for the life of every kitten and is thrilled when they survive and beat all the odds. She deals with the heartbreak of loss with a fierce determination to ensure the rest of the kittens remain healthy. This is why we always, without exception, spay all female cats, unless too young at the time of adoption. We also neuter the males. This year alone thousands of kittens will have died, alone and ignored by people who know better. If you haven’t already had your cat spayed, please do and, if your cat is male, have him neutered. Please help prevent the unnecessary death of beautiful, innocent and vulnerable kittens. On a lighter note, we have the most gorgeous kittens just waiting for a home. From all black to black and white; from tabby to shades of marmalade, to a medley of colours. All beautiful, healthy, playful and full of the joys of spring, even though it is officially summer! These exquisite, extrovert, dynamic, bundles of fur are but a phone call away. Bring joy and laughter to your life, adopt a kitten and greatly improve your well-being.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 10:12:28 +0000