On June 4th, 2010, we rescued four kittens who had been born to a feral mom. They were about 5 weeks old and very very ill. They had bad upper respiratory infections and one had pneumonia. Their eyes were completely crusted over so they had been living blind for some time. Thanks to the help of too many people to name, the mother and all but one of the kittens have had their health and vision restored, and now have a real future before them.
So, without further delay, please meet Mona and her little brood!
Jonesy - Ready to take on the world!
Jonesy is a little tough guy - ready to take on the world. When we first showed the kittens the dangle toy, Murphy and Mandy approached it cautiously, but Jonesy went right after it. As the video below shows, he was a natural. Although he is clearly the athlete in the litter, he is also as sweet as any of his litter mates.
Jonesy learning about the dangle toy!
Murphy - the shy explorer
Murphy is curious, sweet, and a little shy, but is still willing to engage with people and play. The video shows his curiosity: he is fascinated with the sink overflow, and determined to find what is behind it. The second part of the video shows his first encounter with the dangle toy, and he soon makes it his own.
Murphy exploring the sink overflow, plus his VERY FIRST experience with the dangle toy!
Mandy - the sweet little girl
Mandy is the little girl of the litter. She is a tiny, demure little lady. She is sweet, loves to be held, and like all kittens, has a boundless curiosity about the world she was born into. Thanks to your generosity, she is able to indulge that curiosity as evidenced in the video of her examining the sink faucet.
It seems Mandy is more interested in the faucet than the toy!
Beautiful Mona - the trio's mother
The mother of these kittens was born on the streets. Although she appears entirely black, in the sunlight, her fur reveals beautiful red highlights. Mona is feral, but has a sweet disposition, and has become attached to a particular house and the man who lives there. Although she is too shy to be indoors, she stays close to the house, takes food from him, and calls that yard her home. It was this caretaker who first contacted us about the kittens. Mona was a young mother with a delicate constitution, and the vet told us that additional pregnancies could kill her. We are happy to say that she has been spayed, cured of her respiratory infection, and given her shots. When we returned her to her home in that familiar back yard, she went straight to her favorite hangout spot. Her caretaker has told us that she has recovered from her ordeal, and has returned to her familiar routine.
One last thanks to all of you
When I look into the eyes of these beautiful little creatures, I am so grateful to everyone who helped - whether financially, by helping directly with the rescue and care of these animals, or simply be sending us your good wishes. Sometimes people can feel overwhelmed and think - there are so many in need. It is impossible for me, as one person, to help them all. The secret is to remember to help those before you. Our philosophy is that we have made a difference for that one individual or that one litter. And, one by one, we can all help many.
These kittens and Mona were the 'ones' before us, and in the future, there will be others. Thank you for all your help.
If you would like to help more cats like these, please visit our support page . . .
In Memorium for Midnight
Although this is a happy story, we do not want to forget the little girl who did not survive. One of Mona's little kittens, who was given the name Midnight by the veterinary staff, was too sick to respond to treatment. She had severe pneumonia, and had lost the use of her back legs, which we hoped was temporary. Upon arriving at the veterinary office, she was immediately placed in an oxygen chamber. The veterinary staff had done everything possible for her. The only thing we can offer is that she died peacefully while caring people made every effort to nurse her back to health, and that she will be missed.
