Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Animals: Baby Kittens Rescue

My husband came home from work last night as he usually does around 7pm. I had dinner started and was chopping peppers when after his "honey I'm home!" kiss he said, "Did you see the kittens?"

When he pulled in the driveway, the neighbors asked him what they should do. Two baby cats between 2-3 weeks old were huddled against their house/fence in the open, with no mama cat in sight for hours. Their Beagle on the other side of the fence just kept barking at them, and it was starting to get dark.

I told Jason, "I'm going to call all my veg. friends and see if anyone knows how to help us after-business hours," and found a box and towels to put them in to bring them inside before it got too dark, or too cold.

As my husband researched online, he found THIS article which was extremely helpful. I called a friend who told me that the first thing I should do is go out and buy formula before the stores close. I bought some and a tiny baby kitten bottle.

I posted on facebook, craigslist, and the VRA community bulletin board, and left messages on the Austin Pets Alive, Central Texas SPCA, and Austin Humane Society answer machines and waited. I stayed with my little ones all night feeding them every 2 hours, and got a handful of craigslist responses many of which were just to give helpful advice and best wishes, but one in particular was from a woman who was able to help these kittens out.

Ailyx Gomez is an angel, she is a stay at home mom who just finished nursing and weaning a feral stray kitten and works in her neighborhood to help spay and neuter the feral cats that are in her area (which is close to our home). She has also rescued puppies and even a lost domesticated Parrot. Her next door neighbor works for Animal Trustees of Austin and helps her with rescues.  She told me that not only does she have experience nursing baby kittens, but she will definitely take them to the vet's for a check-up, get them both spayed/neutered when they are of age and give them a forever home. She also told me she will keep me up to date with their progress and send pictures as they mature.

I'm so glad that these little abandoned babies have found a new loving, forever family and home. I miss them already, but am glad to have them going to a place near by where they will be safe and flourish.