Just starting to come up for air in the hand rear episode. It started, as you read in the previous blog, as anxious and stressful, and quickly got worse. After the kittens survived their first nights and vets re-opened after bank holiday so no huge costs for out of hours care… their previous family tried to go back on their decision to give them into rescue. Our vets, having seen the state they were in, the fact that at supposedly 2 weeks old they were only normal birth weight, and they were full of fleas, advised that we shouldn’t return them. The family responded to the care we’d given them by sending the police round and claiming on social media that we’d stolen a little boy’s kittens. A rather bemused police officer quickly understood that we’d saved the kittens’ lives.
In the greater scheme of things its not a big deal ……. but after nights of no sleep, working full time, struggling with kittens at work ….. it added to the distress
Thankfully Aunty Jenny stepped in and had them whilst I was at work
Little boy Rufus responded well and was eager to feed. Sadly his tiny sister Rosy found it harder … it was a struggle to get milk down her and she refused to put on weight.
While Rufy put on 10g+ each day … Rosy resolutely remained at 150g for over a week. She was still active and feisty but just didn’t grow. One heart breaking evening a couple of weeks ago, she wasn’t active any more …… her brother nudged her and cuddled her and tried to get her going again … but to no avail …
I cried and cried and cried ………….. and then cried some more when it was light and time to bury her.
It would have been easy to fall apart, curl up in a little ball and cry for the rest of the week. However Rufus was alive and needed feeding. So we ploughed on.
Next day we took refuge in Rileys & Co ….. a kitten without his sister, and a heartbroken foster mum. Most cafes would quickly eject animals of any kind, but Rileys aren’t that kind of cafe. We settled down in the parlour, ordered tea and a mug of hot water to warm his bottle.
Since then he’s been out for afternoon tea every week at Rileys. He’s been one of the most passed around and cuddled kittens ever.
8 Lives: Sheffield 8 Cat Rescue 