12/10/2024
To whoever chose to abandon their 2 kittens at Friedens Fire Company today, 24 hours before our event, in the middle of somebody else’s private party, completely non-cat related, because you knew our event was happening tomorrow there…
Your kittens are safe.
You left them in a cardboard box with a few pieces of dry food and nothing else. They cowered terrified in the corner for hours until it was learned what they were, then they remained in the box hours longer until we arrived to setup our event tonight and we discovered what was in the box. One of our volunteers had a backpack carrier luckily, but when we tried to transfer them, they were either completely scared to death, or feral, because the orange one bit 2 volunteers numerous times. First chance they got to escape the box they darted. Luckily they were secured in a bathroom and volunteers stayed late until both were safely able to be transported to safety.
But to where? We have no fosters able/willing to setup 2 feral/fractious older kittens who bit 2 volunteers several times already. We are a rescue setup to care for newborns and very young kittens. We can see the fleas jumping on them, they are visibly sick, they are starving. It is nearly 1am, the night of our largest fundraiser of the year, and we are scrambling to locate a foster to care for your kittens. Our only option is to use one of our feral mom placements but that removes our ability to assist a nursing feral mom with newborns suffering in the upcoming winter months.
Your kittens are safe though.
They devoured the gruel they were given, they ate like they haven’t seen food in forever.
We will get them spayed and neutered. We will search for a safe outdoor home for them, we will accept responsibility for these 2 terrified souls and find a way to get them feeling better and free of fleas, because you could not.
What should have happened in this scenario?
TNR. Simple. Trap. Neuter. Return. They would’ve been fixed so no reproduction, they would’ve been vaccinated, and likely given injectable antibiotics, then returned to their HOME. Wherever they came from is their home. It is not easy to relocate feral cats.
The cats are terrified. Because they’re terrified, they’re behaving fractiously, aggressively, and that behavior put so many innocent people in danger today because the box they were left in was not secure.
We understand shelters everywhere are operating over capacity. We understand the rescue world is in crisis mode currently. These 2 older kittens deserved far better than what happened to them today.
Please do not abandon cats at random places. Please don’t force intakes on rescues. If you are dealing with feral cats, ask for help and any reputable rescue would offer guidance on the best way to handle this.
Feral cats are wild animals. Putting them in unsecured cardboard boxes, walking into a random private party at a social hall then leaving them there to be randomly discovered, was dangerously irresponsible and we are grateful the only people who got hurt were our 2 volunteers. We will ensure they are ok.
TNR works. TNR is not cruel. What happened to
These cats today was cruel.
Welcome our 2 juvenile ferals. I know you’re terrified, but at least you’re well fed tonight, warm, and safe. Tomorrow during our event we will continue our quest to locate a long term foster for you as well as an outdoor place you can begin to call home. Finding outdoor homes is such a challenge. 😔
Please don’t abandon animals. Please.
*the ear is not tipped, it’s the way she was pressed against the carrier when the pic was taken.
