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The Discarded Cats Diary. Chapter 1.

A cat carrier sits on the pavement of a cul-de-sac in the blazing hot Georgia sun. Inside it’s cheerful pink polka-dot patterned shell, holds a terrible secret. Struggling inside the case were three tiny kittens and their mama, who were suffering not only from the heat, but from being in such cramped quarters. With no cool air to circulate between them, their bodies raised the temperature inside the carrier to a dangerous level. The mother, a short-haired black cat, furiously ripped at the mesh ends of the carrier, breaking off her claws with each panicked attempt. She was desperate to create an opening in the material so she could save her family and escape to the cool shade. Time was running out.

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©2013 Maria S. First glimpse of the family and the brand new carrier they were abandoned in.

The mama was in a terrible state. She didn’t know why she was in this carrier, in the middle of the street. She could hear dogs barking, which concerned her even more. She was hungry. Her kittens were taking all the nourishment they could from her, but she had nothing for herself.

Exhausted, she laid down, panting. Her kittens squirmed over her to get at a nipple. They were oblivious to the danger they were in, but it wouldn’t take long for all of them to perish if they didn’t get out soon.

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A day passed inside the carrier. The mama hadn’t been able to rip a hole into the mesh. She began to howl, not caring what predator heard her. After her voice was sore from crying, in a nearby house, the door opened and a woman emerged. She walked over to the cat carrier and peered inside. The mama cat heard her sigh. She asked the mama if she was okay. She asked her what in the world she was doing in the middle of the road and didn't she realize how dangerous it was. The mama wished she could answer, but all she could do was pant.

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©2013 Maria S. Oblivious to the dangers nearby, the kittens explore their new world.

The woman lifted the carrier and brought it over to the side of her house near some shrubs. She unzipped the mesh door and let the cats go free. She couldn't take the family inside. As the kittens scattered out into the lawn, she walked into her home and after a few minutes came back outside with some food and water, which the mama ate greedily. The kittens were unfazed by their brush with death and not fearful of the woman. They got to work playing in the grass, oblivious to the fact that there was a dog in the back yard who had just mauled another dog to death the day before. Their freedom may have just put them into a more dangerous situation than they were in before and something had to be done.

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©2013 Maria S. Mama is standing by the boy, so close to a very dangerous dog. It wouldn't have taken much for any or all of the kittens to wander too far in the wrong direction.

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This family was lucky because the woman who found the cats, knew our Maria, intrepid foster mama for our rescue. Maria came over to her friend’s house, even though she was reluctant to get involved in yet another rescue right now. Maria has been taking a break from fostering (though she still does have 2 foster cats who are looking for a home) so she could focus on caring for some of her own, ailing cats. She knew she’d have to start making calls and sending emails asking for help to rescue groups that are already overloaded with animals. This year seems worse than ever for dumped/abandoned animals and it’s tough to be in rescue and have to ask the same people, the same question, and face the same answer—“no,” over and over again.

But she had to try-for the cats.

Maria let me know what was going on and I told her right away that Kitten Associates would, at least pay for the initial vet care of the cats, but I also had to be honest and say that taking on an all black adult cat would be really tough for us. I have a growing number of adult cats that no one wants: Barney, Bunny Boo-Boo, Mabel and Minnie. I have nowhere to put another adult. I thought I could take the kittens, but even that might be a stretch if the ones we have now don’t get adopted soon. It’s always a juggle between space and resources. At least we had some funds to get the family vetted if Maria could foster them for a time.

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©2013 Maria S.

What I’ve come to learn about rescue is that trying to see too far down the road is a waste of time. First things first. You have to look at the moment and get the basics taken care of. We had a space for the family to live. We had funds to provide for their first Vet visit. We had at least four to six weeks before we’d need to put them up for adoption, so maybe we would have time to work out everything else. I had to be realistic and remember how it went with Minnie and how one day she had her family and the next was the last time she saw her kittens and had to be separated from them. Anything can happen and it’s usually not what you imagine. As my friend Katherine often says; “We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

For the next few days, I struggled with what to do with this family, while they began to recuperate in Maria's home. Maria found a placement for them, but she felt more comfortable working with me because of our long history together. She asked me if I would take the family on and I told her I needed more time to think about it.

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©2013 Maria S. Mama-cat was so tired that after Maria got her fed, she passed out cold. She must have been exhausted after her ordeal.

I admit I look for signs or a feeling in my heart that tells me which cats to take on. I wasn’t getting the feeling until I got an email from Betsy, who helps cats and dogs in the same Georgia hometown as Maria. Betsy sent out a photo of a tiny black and white kitten she found, tossed away like trash in a hot metal dumpster. His nose and paws were burned. He was very tiny and underweight.

He looked like he belonged with the family Maria had so I contacted Betsy to find out where she got him. It wasn’t near the same area, so they couldn’t be related. I emailed Maria and asked her if we were idiots to take this kitten on, knowing that we risked the health of the ENTIRE FAMILY if this kitten sickened them or vice versa.

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©2013 Maria S. Safe and resting comfortably at Aunt Maria's house.

I asked my friends on Facebook about how safe or stupid it was to put a sole kitten in with a new family. I asked a few Vets. I kept getting the same answer-you weigh the options. Without the nurturing and friendship of his new mama and siblings, he would not thrive. The mama might not accept him because Betsy had put him with another family she had and they beat him to a pulp.

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©2013 Betsy Merchant. Our first glimpse of Biscotti. His paws and nose are burned from being trapped in a hot metal dumpster.

Maria and I felt like we had to risk it, so Maria made arrangements to take the family and the new kitten to the Vet. Her first stop was to pick up the lone kitten and go to her sister’s house to drop off the car she borrowed. She let the kitten meet her sister’s dogs and the kitten enjoyed being around them. When Maria sent me the photos I thought; This is one tough cookie. He can survive being in a dumpster. He survived being beat up by other cats. He likes dogs. What would I name a tough cookie? Biscotti. Of course.

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©2013 Betsy Merchant. The little fella is only 3-4 weeks old. What a rough start to his life, but he's a fighter.

The Vet determined that the kittens are about 4 weeks of age, even Biscotti. The mama is about a year old. She was negative for FIV and Feline Leukemia, so that meant odds are the kittens were okay. They were too young to be tested, so we have to hope for the best and will test them when they get older.

The mama and kittens were very friendly, so they’d been around people, which was both good and bad for obvious reasons. Someone loved them for a few weeks, but then decided it was better to cowardly dumped them in the middle of a road, on a hot late summer day, than it was to ask for help. I had to stop imagining what I'd like to do to that person and focus on worrying about how Biscotti was going to get along with the others.

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©2013 Maria S. Fearless Biscotti with Dale.

Will Biscotti like his new family? Will they like him? Will it be safe for them to be left alone or is Biscotti’s life still in danger if his step mom wants to harm him? Will I ever decide if I can take on five more foster cats in my home?

Stay tuned for the next chapter in the Discarded Cats Diary!

Comments

OMG Robin! I have GOT to stop following your links when I'm at work! I'm an emotional mess and SO angry at the people that created this situation. But mostly I want to run home to my own cats and hug them and love them until they squirm to get the hell away from me!

I am so inspired and am in awe of all that you do for our furry counterparts Robin. Thank you (again). I'm going to be on the lookout for chapter two but i'll have to restrain from reading in while at work.

Have to agree with Lynda (and be glad I work at home).  And with you, because life is indeed like that -- our best laid plans often come to nothing, because life has a habit of throwing curve balls at us.  May you be blessed, many times over, for your great heart and for putting your caring into positive action on behalf of the voiceless and the innocent, as any decent, compassionate, caring person would and should.

I am so glad the kittens and momma are all okay and in safe hands now. I can't believe someone would do that to such innocent little babies! So very thanful that were helped before it was too late. I am very interested to see how Biscotti does being introduced to his new family- how exciting for him! 

If a dog kills another animal it should die. That day. There wouldn't have been a problem.

THANK YOU for taking in this family of kitties and the lonely one, Biscotti. I hope Biscotti is accepted by the new Mama and her babies. I can't believe that someone would do this to these poor babies. But they are in good hands with you as usual, just like you did with Minnie and her babies. I pray that they are all healthy and one day that all the furry, silly kitties get a great furever home. I'll be keeping up with this family and have a special folder for the new family as I've kept one for Minnie and her babies.

God Bless you Robin and your helpers to help save our precious feline friends. 

Prayers, love, kisses and hugs to all of the kitties and you!

Oh, Robin, this post made me feel so emotional.  Poor, sweet, little Biscotti ... and the poor, sweet little kitty family also.  I love the way you described them all, and made us feel as if we were right there.  I just wish so much right now that my condo rules would allow me to take on another cat...   I believe you totally made the right decision in taking on all these kitties, and I trust that there will be a happy ending to this story.

You can contact me at the email above. I can't take on any more cats for personal reasons, BUT! I have an Etsy shop- maybe I can make something special and give you guys the proceeds when the items sells? I'm already donating money to Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, (The World's Greatest Cathouse in Englewood, FL), through my Idiot's Guide to Creating Banners & Avatars. <3 I know it's not a LOT, but I've raised $4.50 for Puffy Paws so far. (Buying the tutorial is optional- all the info they need to make one is in the listing).

I've been following you guys and other cat blogs for a LONG time. I don't have hardly any money, but I can make something for you guys. I could even make you something and send it to you for you to sell. :) That might work out better because you have a wider reach.

Anyways.

I'm sending oodles of positive juju for the kitties, and some prayers too!

<3,
Andrea

How close does one have to be to you to adopt one of the kittens?  I live in Maryland, and have one other cat that I just adopted via PetSmart in January.  I have been thinking long and hard about getting her a companion before she gets too much older.  My heart goes out to all of these little ones.  Let me know, ok?

So happy to hear these precious babies and the mama are gonna have a chance at life.  So very, very happy to hear that.


Purrs,

Nissy

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