Craig Street Cats

Well, here we are again.  It is kitten season, and we are scrambling to take care of both ends of the critters.  We are in desperate need of kitten formula (KMR, Nutrience, etc.) and clumping cat litter.  We also need dollars to cover the vet bills associated with kitten care.  Another kitten pen would be a big help, too.

So far this month we have rescued 24 kittens under 8 weeks of age.  All of these babies need at least some kitten formula to help them transition to cat food.  They are all weaned, but cannot yet handle a straight canned food and kibble diet.  If they were still with their mothers, they would continue to nurse until she went into heat, when they are about 4 months old.  They don’t need kitten formula for that long, but they do need some mixed into their canned food twice per day.  This is called kitten “glop”.  It helps them transition to more solid foods without getting upset tummies and the poops.

Of course, when you put food in the front end, you have to expect something to come out the back end.  The kittens use non-clumping litter, and the kitten boxes must be completely changed twice per day.  We are currently going through about 50 lbs of non-clumping litter per week.

The 15 adult cats are going through over 200 lbs of clumping litter per week.  Last Saturday we brought in 300 lbs, and we are now down to our last 5o lb box.  That’s 250 lbs used in 1 week. 

Another 11 kittens are waiting to come into care.  Unfortunately, all of our kitten pens are full, and will probably stay that way for another 2 weeks.  We have space for another kitten pen, but not the money to buy one.

It seems as though we go from one crisis to the next, with never a break in between, and the solution is always money.

It seems that kitten season isn’t quite over. Two new babies came in over the weekend, both from the same colony, but different litters. They are beautiful, long haired, black and white cuties, but both babies are very sick. They’ve been to see the doctor, and will be in quarantine for 2 weeks. They’re both on antibiotics and getting subcutaneous fluids several times per day.

This could have been a tragedy if it were not for Friends Fundraising for Animal Shelters, a very generous vet, and help from Darcy’s ARC. Thank you to all of you.

Which brings me to a painful realization. Up to now, Craig Street Cats has been operating on a very thin shoestring. Some very generous people have donated money, food, and supplies, but the vast majority of ongoing expenses has been coming out of my pocket. The arrival of the kittens at a time when I did not have the personal resources to cover their expenses is a wake up call. We need funds on hand at all times. We need an emergency fund. We need a room other than my bathroom to house sick kittens. It’s time to get serious about fundraising.

My bathroom is no longer kitten world. Thanks to the kind people at Pet Traders, the 5 kittens that have been in residence have moved to where they will, no doubt, be snatched up by kitten lovers.

I miss the little guys, terribly, but I’m glad to have my bathroom back. It’s truly wonderful to be able to walk into the room without having to make sure that nothing scoots out between my feet. Taking a shower whenever I want, without having to store kittens in a crate, is a revelation.

I’m enjoying all this while I can, because I’m sure there’ll be another litter before long.

Well, those 5 plump, little kittens I mentioned last week are now residing in my bathroom. They all seem to have a taste for sardines, and wandered into the trap on Tuesday.

This was the first little one into the trap.

These 3 posed like pros.

Have you ever seen anything as adorable as this little fella? How could anything so cute bring bad luck?

This one is a tad shy.

I guess I’ll be fostering them for a while, since the Humane Society seems to have forgotten about agreeing to help out with any kittens I happened to catch. Darcy’s and Quagga are full, right now, so I’m playing mommy until a shelter can place them for adoption.

This is going to be a very expensive undertaking. Vet bills, shots, worming, any necessary medication, food, and litter will come to at least $500. Since the babies are not under any shelter’s jurisdiction, the full cost has to come out of my pocket. Donations of cash and supplies are desperately needed right now.