Kitten Rescue

Tens of thousands of kittens around the world are born outside "on the streets" every year and many of them find themselves abandoned, often as young as a few days old, by mothers who, sadly, can not care for them for anymore one reason or another. More than likely as not, these orphans suffer from a multitude of afflictions including, but not limited to, malnutrition, dehydration, and/or disease. They can be eaten by predators such as; foxes, coyotes, dogs, and birds of prey, be infested with many types of internal and external parasites, or be exposed to extreme temperatures which, left unrescued.... Kills. Too many die due to these tragedies without ever being discovered.

Still others are born into homes where the mother was not spayed and somehow got pregnant, frequently making her kittens an unwanted burden on her owner(staff). These kittens have a variety of sad fates; free giveaways where anyone can get a kitten for nothing and do anything that they want to it - good or bad, abandonment on the street where they are left to fend for themselves in an environment that they are woefully unprepared for, or taken to shelters that are all too often over crowded and/or unequipped to care for young kittens. The luckiest ones get given to reputable kitten/cat rescues where they are placed in foster homes while they receive proper care and treatment; good food, medical care, clean and healthy environments, and love. They are socialized to both humans and other animals so that they will be more easily adoptable.

If you should find a kitten all alone with no mother in sight, there are a few things you can do. First, be very careful, don't take chances on getting bitten. Put on some gloves, or find something to wrap the kitten in before picking it up, a sweatshirt or towel is fine, and be careful not to injure the kitten while handling it. If it is very young, it can be injured easily. And, remember, even the tiniest ones can bite after they have teeth. A fair rule of thumb is; if it can walk without falling over, it has teeth.

Place the kitten in a safe and secure place where it will be warm but not too hot - a cardboard box with a towel or small blanket is okay, but a cat carrier also with something warm and comfy is best if available, then reach out to your local cat rescue. You can easily locate the nearest one to you by searching online. If for some reason they can't take the kitten for you, they can refer you elsewhere.

If you choose to keep the kitten, that's wonderful! You'll need to take it to the vet as soon as you can make an appointment so that the vet can do a health exam, treat any illness, and give you advice on how to care for it. You can also contact your local cat rescue for advice as well.

If the kitten is lethargic, visibly very ill, and/or unresponsive, take it to the nearest animal emergency hospital immediately. Kittens are fragile and can pass quickly if they are in a critical state.

All this is to say that kitten rescue is vitally important in saving the lives of so many kittens that would have nowhere else to go, but rescue and care costs money. They can't do it alone.

So, please support kitten rescue with donations and adopt instead of buying your next furry friend.

Thank you.