A small mother cat and her four kittens are living in my home. I agreed to foster a cat who was found outside in an advanced stage of pregnancy, in an area that suggested she was abandoned. She arrived with an upper respiratory infection, something that is common in unvaccinated cats. She was prescribed an antibiotic that is safe for pregnant and nursing mother cats.
When she arrived, this quiet, social cat was easy to take care of, completely undemanding. In some ways, perhaps too accepting, perhaps resigned to whatever her new fate had in store for her. I named her Kathi. All seemed well.
Three weeks after her arrival, I woke to the sound of tiny peeps. Kathi had already delivered two kittens. Shortly after she gave birth to two more. She seemed calm and competent as she cleaned her children and started to nurse them. I was happy to know that she was safe inside my home with all of her needs met, and that she could nurture her kittens in peace. But it seems that whatever traumas had occurred in her life would not let her go so easily.
Later that day, Kathi exhibited disturbing symptoms. She began panting heavily and her sides heaved at an alarming rate. I took her to a veterinary hospital where it was determined that there was no apparent physical reason for her distress. There were no kittens stuck in her birth canal, no complications from her labour. It appeared to be anxiety that was causing her distress, perhaps a delayed reaction to the trauma of being outside, uncared for and unprotected when in her vulnerable state. Perhaps the rigours of giving birth had triggered a response in her. About a day later the panting stopped, but then Kathi had little appetite – not a good situation for a nursing mother. The upper respiratory infection was still present, surely adding to her troubles.
On Mother’s Day 2024, Kathi’s kittens will be four weeks old. They are beginning to wean, taking small amounts of food from my hand, and from a dish. Kathi is getting an appetite stimulant and I coax her to eat throughout the day. But her appetite is still poor, suggesting that she is not feeling entirely well. The antibiotic that is safe for her to receive while nursing is not strong enough to cure her, so her breathing is sometimes laboured. She nurses her kittens diligently. But it’s clear that she is not completely comfortable.
The goal is to allow her kittens to stay with her until the usual eight weeks, if Kathi’s health allows. If her condition worsens, the rescue group will place the kittens with another mother cat with kittens to finish the socialization process. As I observe Kathi’s dedication to her children, I believe that she is not yet done with being their mother. Her four kittens are in good health, and are beautiful – small, eager beings moving about on shaky legs, exploring more each day.
The story of Kathi and her children is not yet finished. But this is how I believe it will go. The four youngsters will receive veterinary care and the all-important spay or neuter surgeries that will make all the difference in their lives. When Kathi is no longer nursing her children, she will receive a more effective antibiotic and her upper respiratory infection will at last be cured. She will breathe easily, and hopefully, her appetite will return to normal. When she grows stronger, she will be spayed and never experience the difficulties of pregnancy and childbirth again.
And they will all be adopted. The hope of every foster home provider is that our friends will find wonderful homes with loving and loyal people who will make life-long commitments to them, and that they will never be abandoned as it seems that Kathi was. And they will be happy. That is the future that is my deepest wish for the entire Kathi family.
For now, Kathi’s job is not done, and her mothering days continue. I will keep doing all I can for her, providing as much support as possible.
Project Jessie Helps Rescuers Save Cats Like Kathi:
This is the story of just one small cat and her children. Without the intervention of cat rescuers, I hate to think of how great her hardship would be. And, I am reminded of why I am so grateful that Animal Alliance of Canada provides grants and other forms of support to rescue organizations that save cats and dogs through our Project Jessie program. Our Project Jessie program is a network that makes it possible for rescue organization to help more animals like Kathi.
As I watch Kathi and her children, I wish that we could reach every animal in need, every animal in distress. I take comfort in knowing that Project Jessie provides assistance to rescue organizations like the one that rescued Kathi. We’ve provided grants to rescuers working in remote regions that are under-serviced, where there are far too many animals in need. Thanks to Project Jessie donors, we’ve been saving the lives of cats and dogs since 1991.
This Mother’s Day, please think of Kathi and her children; and all of the other dogs and cats who desperately need human intervention and care.
If you can, please make a donation to Project Jessie so that we can continue to reach across Canada into under-resourced regions and save more animals like Kathi.
And for all of you who nurture, who provide ‘mothering’ in some way, who protect and care for those who are vulnerable, thank you.
With gratitude,
Vicki Van Linden
Board Member
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