Paws for Pets: Kitten season

Last year at about this time I wrote a story about "kitten season.” Well it is upon us once again. I don't know where to begin to explain how over whelming it is when the kittens start coming to the sanctuary. Thankfully it has slowed down this week, but I don't want to say that too loudly because every time I do, the phone begins to ring. Nothing is sweeter than a baby kitten. Ranking right up there is a puppy, rabbit, chicken or any other animal species that are just days old. Just like human babies, they are dependant on their mothers or human intervention. Mother Nature can be cruel when a mother is suddenly gone from a kitten. uch was the batch of day old kittens that were found nursing on their deceased mother on a farm east of York. No known reason was ever discovered of why the "mama" died; she had no apparent injuries and was lying with her kittens when found. Thanks to the sympathetic family who found them they called and were brought to the Sanctuary. Deb took on the job of fostering these little ones, six in all. This is a demanding undertaking. Kittens need to be fed approximately every two to three hours. They need to be cleaned, kept warm and secure on their heating pad and most important, touched, rubbed and stimulated so that they remained stress free so that their immune systems don't break down. You can do everything right and still the odds can be against you. Ask anyone who has bottle fed a litter of day old kittens for four to six weeks if they get attached to their little "charges.” Their tiny folded ears will wiggle back and forth as they nurse from the kitten bottles. Some need to be coaxed to eat; others are greedy and need to be slowed down so they don't get air in their tummies. All are clambering for you attention and once fed (and burped) they begin their baby purring that is almost like a human baby gurgling with contentment. 
Next we received a mother with five babies from a farm east of York. Someone had dumped the friendly little mother and she had her litter only days after being left by the side of the road.
An expectant mother arrived at the Sanctuary and promptly had a litter of six babies, she must have known she was in a safe place at last and she wanted to repay me with her little ones. I named her Daffodil, but am thinking of changing it to "Dirty Mama.” She is a wonderful loving mother, feeds her babies well but when it comes to keeping them clean or her for that matter she is totally lacking in these skills. I not only have to bath her, but the babies as well. I have NEVER seen a dirtier cat than Dirty Mama but you can't help but love her as she is such a sweet natured cat.   
Two more young mothers arrived w/litters of three and four each. I received a mother with day old kittens. She arrived with a huge abscesses on her chest and couldn't nurse. I took over the feeding responsibilities and she took over the mothering and cleaning duties. It is working well; I have named her Patience because through the pain of the abscesses she was so patient and accepting.  
 Then came the call from the Ethanol plant. They found seven babies in a hay barn as they were removing  hay. One of the kittens dropped from the loader and thankfully the operator stopped his equipment and rescued not only that kitten, but the six other siblings. Another volunteer has kindly taken over the foster care of these little babies. It is a huge responsibility but ever so rewarding when you watch them gain weight, see their little eyes open to the world and begin their first wobbly steps in exploring the big world that awaits them. Soon they are playing tag with their brother's twitching tails, pouncing on the mouse toys and watching you with those big blue kitten eyes as you prepare their next meal. 
We have many of these kittens already adopted with new families just waiting for the day they can leave their mothers and siblings. Volunteers who have given so much to these babies have mixed emotions as they leave. But it is so rewarding to see them go to loving and responsible homes. We have a pair of sisters going to Lincoln, little Theresa and Diamond Rose. Jon Boy is going to a family in Lincoln to a little girl who will have her first kitten. The list goes on.
If you would like to volunteer to foster kittens, please give us a call. We furnish all of your supplies and most important we are willing to lend our emotional support while you are giving a kitten the chance to be adopted into a "forever home." If you would like to donate to our kittens, we always welcome used heating pads, litter and KMR kitten formula. We go through kitten formula very quickly during this time of year.
I have found that kittens are like potato chips, "you don’t ever just have one."