Kaitorete Kittens

31/10/2023

Happy Halloween to all my fellow crazy cat lovers out there! Here is Luther, our extraordinary x-wild Kaitorete cat, who we trapped as a young adult male last year. It's very rare to successfully tame a wild tom cat, nevermind have one transform into a stuff toy snuggling, super smoochy, follow-you-everywhere pet cat, but Luther has taught us it's possible!

Cats has been our companions for 10,000 years, although it's argued they have never been truly 'domesticated'. Black cats in particular were horribly persecuted, blamed for spreading the Black Death plague in the 1600s, killed by the hundreds of thousands and associated with witchcraft throughout history. Black cats today are the descendants of those black cats that were saved and protected by humans who loved them very much ❤️ 🖤 That's true black magic 🐈‍⬛

17/09/2023

Rocky has had so little interest..
and that's such a shame because he's probably the easiest boy we've fostered in years!! Super sweet and just wants love ❤️ Please share 🙏

* Update - on hold for a new home!

Rocky is a gorgeous, affectionate 20 month old Huntaway x Collie looking for his second chance at a happy-ever-after! Fostered at Little River.

Rocky originally came into our care as a 3-month-old pup who was surrendered off a farm with his 9 siblings. Right from the get-go Rocky was friendly, cheeky, playful pup who flourished in foster care.

He found the perfect home on a farm as a pet, where he was going to learn to do a bit of sheep work. Tragically Rocky's wonderful owner suffered a serious health diagnosis and had to surrender him back to us a year later, knowing he could no longer offer Rocky the life he deserved.

Rocky is currently fostered on a lifestyle block where he has lots of room to run. He is well socialised with other dogs and great with cats, chickens, pigs and people!

He is perfectly crate trained and sleeps inside, has beautiful leash walking manners, good basic commands, and loves to ride in the truck!

All Rocky wants is an owner to adore and go on adventures with! He would make a dream addition to an active owner/couple or family with older children. Rocky needs lots of exercise, but is otherwise happy to snooze on the couch or nap at your feet between runs. He could be happy as an only dog provided he had opportunities to socialise with other playful dogs or attend day care regularly. Must be rural as Rocky has a big guard bark and can bark out of excitement (he is a Huntaway after all!)

Rocky comes with lifetime access to Little River Dog stay for day care and overnight boarding.

Adoption: $200, neutered, fully vaccinated, chipped, registered, flea/worm to date.

Our application process includes an application form, property visit, vet history check of your previous pet care. We do meetings once the adoption process is successfully completed.

South Island adoptions only.
Owner occupied home.
We do home out of the district and can arrange property visits. We do not send the dogs away on transporters.
Stock fenced properties require a fully secure/safe containment area for no one is at home.
If interested please email / message us all about your home and why you think that Rocky would thrive in your care.

11/09/2023

Is this your cat?

05/09/2023

Special rescue 💗 Haedi the blind kitten 💗 This amazing little girl was brought in to us several weeks ago. She had been caught in a possum trap multiple cold, rainy nights in a row, having been drawn to the morsal of mayonnaise inside. She was clearly emaciated, very weak and desperate for food!

The woman checking the traps knew she was in trouble and luckily decided to bring her in rather than release her again. On initial inspection the kitten was severely underwight with muscle wasting making her unsteady. But it was her eyes that were so unusual! She had hugely dilated pupils, which didn't contract in the light. Upon veterinarian examination it was confirmed that she was totally blind! A few things can cause this, such as head injury or disease. While many might have euthanised her to spare any further suffering (and heartbreak for us rescuers!) we decided to give her a chance and provide her with some proper food and warmth.

Little Haedi showed us what an incredible spirt of survival she has, gulping down her food and quickly adjusting to life inside, even using the litterbox. She slowly regained her strength and got brighter and happier everyday. After testing negative for FIV and not presenting with symptoms of feline coronavirus, plus more than doubling her weight in a couple weeks, she was given the all clear 😁

An amazing vet nurse student who saw Haedi and fell in love agreed to foster her! In her care Haedi has absolutely flourished 🥰 Initially confined to a dog crate for her safety, Haedi now has the run of the house, has learnt to use the stairs, hops up on the bed for cuddles, and even sleeps next to their dog! When the time came to advertise Haedi for a forever home, her foster Mum decided that she couldn't part with her 💞 This is surely the luckiest blind kitty out there! A huge thank you to Haedi's new family for their love, patience and commitment to her lifelong indoor care 🙏

22/07/2023

Tama is one of several cats to go missing around Charteris Bay area in recent weeks 😥 Please let us know if you've seen him or have any info.

08/07/2023

A HUGE thank you to Mufasa and his family for their very kind donation of canned cat food!!! This will all go towards feeding the next few kittens and cats we get in for fostering 😊 We don't have any in at the moment but we expect to get more hungry mouths in soon with the increased trapping around here. Thanks ❤️

06/07/2023

We attended the meeting last night were pleased to see some other passionate cat-lovers in attendance :-)

It was great to see some dedicated cat owners at the Pest Free trapping meeting in Birdlings Flat last night, keen to learn how to keep their pet cats safe with the upcoming trapping on Kaitorete Spit. If you missed the meeting, here is a brief summary:

Pest Free Banks Peninsula will be increasing their live feral cat traps to cover the whole of Kaitorete Spit by the end of July, including near the Birdlings Flat end. Traps will be live-capture and self-reporting, so they will checked the day they go off. The Pest Free team does NOT want to harm pet cats and needs YOUR HELP to ensure your cats are clearly identified as PETS should they get caught in a live trap, so they can be released.

We discussed a range of ways to mark your cat as a pet, such as: Collars on cats, ear notches on cats, shaving a strip of fur down your cat's back, using food colouring on your cat's fur (best on white fur) We can help you with some of these options at Little River Vet Services
Microchipping, desexing your cats, and keeping them inside at night are HIGHLY recommended as well. Pest Free does not currently have the technology to accurately scan cats in their traps for microchips unfortunately, as the scanners have to be in close contact to the cat's fur to read a chip. So it is extremely important to have a second way of marking your cat as a pet. We want all pet cats in Birdlings Flat to be safe! Please contact us at the clinic if you want to book an appointment for your cat, or if you need further advice. Please share this information with your neighbors!

28/06/2023

If you live in Birdlings Flat or near Kaitorete Spit, you need to learn about the new, drastic trapping that will be starting on the Spit in JULY!!! They will be targeting all the cats at once! I was shocked to hear about this new change and thought I had more time... more time to save more cats, but with it all happening around me now, I can only do so much 😔 I'm hoping more cat owners will stand up and be outraged that our pets are being put at huge risk, that our mental health as pet parents will be in jeopardy, and that so many cats will die.

25/06/2023

*Adopted* HUCKLEBERRY

22/06/2023

*Adopted* TONKA
Tonka came to us from trappers who caught him in their live trap far down Kaitorete Spit! Luckily for this teenager, he was saved when the trapper thought he seemed calmer than the typical 'feral' cats they catch, and therefore must be tame. Upon arrival, we guessed Tonka was a young adult, and judging by how sweet and smoochy he was, thought initially he (or she as I first guessed) might be a dumped cat. But after a vet check, desex and vaccination at Little River Vet Services, we discovered that he was just a big kitten, only about 4.5 months old, and we suspect his sweet temperament could be down to him being a Maine C**n cross!! How ever on earth he came to be so far from any properties or towns is a mystery, but this laid-back boy did not stay in foster care for long! He was adopted by a wonderful family (who was on our waiting list) and is now living the life he was meant to have, being adored and pampered by his new young Mum

11/06/2023

***UPDATE: Huckleberry is on trial with his dream family!***
Meet Huckleberry

19/04/2023

A wonderful success SAFE! As a wild kitten rescuer AND primary teacher I am horrified that this competition ever existed!

UPDATE: The North Canterbury Hunting Competition has cancelled its “most feral cats hunted” category for under 14-year-olds!

Firstly, we'd like to thank you, our supporters – Aotearoa is a country of kindness and compassion, not violence, and the outpouring of support for these cats has proved that!

In a statement released last night, the competition organisers said they’ve made the decision to withdraw the category “for this year to avoid further backlash”.

Unfortunately, we have heard reports from the Rotherham community that the school and school staff have received threatening behaviour. This is not behaviour that SAFE condones, nor is it behaviour we should expect from advocates for compassion.

We’d also like to take the time to reiterate that this is not a forum for abuse, and we will not condone comments of harassment towards the school, the staff, or the community of Rotherham. While we disagree with the actions taken in organising this contest, we wish no harm or ill-will towards the community of Rotherham and Northern Canterbury. We please ask that people stop sending messages or contacting the school or it's staff.

It’s time society moved past killing small animals for fun. We should be teaching our tamariki empathy towards animals, not handing them the tools to kill them.

Here’s hoping events like the North Canterbury Hunting Competition become a thing of the past soon.

17/04/2023

We have met this gorgeous boy and he is the most cruisy, easy going kitten! Contact the Clinic if interested 🥰

30/03/2023

Magnolia update: another rags-to-riches story! Our starving, scrawny, wild orphan has been transformed into a pampered princess

23/03/2023

***UPDATE: Bingo has found a wonderful home!!! Thank you to everyone who shared his posts 💞***
Our foster boy Bingo is looking for his forever home! He's such a wonderful boy

12/03/2023

UPDATE: Magnolia has been adopted to a wonderful home!!! She has adoring, cat-savvy parents and 2 young cat brothers to play with, which was our greatest wish for her

08/03/2023

Magnolia is still looking for her forever home 💗

05/03/2023

Magnolia would SO love another kitten to play with!

04/03/2023

*Ready for Adoption MAGNOLIA*
Gorgeous 9 week old female tabby kitten seeking a wonderful home!

25/02/2023

Magnolia, the little warrior princess 🩷

23/02/2023

Meet

08/02/2023

*ADOPTED Mufasa* Our rescued stray boy, found in the middle of nowhere, has now found himself at the center of a new, adoring family! Named Mufasa for his Lionking face, this boy came to us in rough shape. He was very underweight and ended up needing to have a broken tooth removed. Thanks to Little River Vet Services for their great care in getting him back on his feet. Mufasa has the run of his new household and looks like he's making the absolute most of his new (surely 9th?) life! Thanks to his new family for opening their hearts to him

05/02/2023

Very inspiring!

19/01/2023

*Older gentlemen looking for love!*
This gorgeous, affectionate older boy needs a good home! He would love to belong to someone retired or with a quiet home, where he could sleep on your lap, keep you company while you putter around, follow you out into the garden, then curl up on your bed at night❤
He was trapped in a remote area, far from any properties, very hungry and dehydrated, but clearly once someone's pet! After a vet check and some TLC he doing really well, approximately 9 years old, with a few good years still ahead of him. He is neutered, vaccinated, wormed & fleaed. There is no adoption fee, we just want the right home. Please message us if interested.

14/01/2023

Does anyone recognise this older gentleman?? He was trapped way down Kaitorete Spit but was obviously friendly, so a kind-hearted person brought him to us! It appears he was living it rough for a while, and was so grateful to come inside and have food and a cosy bed

10/01/2023

*ADOPTED Kenny* This lucky little kitten landed on all fours when he was adopted by an amazing couple in Christchurch

04/01/2023

This little guy is thriving! He's sure got some ball skills!! 🤣 💙

02/01/2023

Happy 2023!!! After a quiet few months we are catching wild kittens again! Here is our NYE lucky catch- a very fiesty, very hungry little boy 💙 he tamed in 2 days 🥰 now to get weight on his fragile little body and get him vaccinated. We will be advertising him for adoption when he's ready.

04/08/2022

Do you have a x-wild cat or kitten?? We'd love to see some photos! Here is handsome Ragnar who was trapped as a 9 week old kitten, and is now 5. He's the sweetest boy and loves to snuggle with his favourite person all night! Ragnar and brother cats are locked inside at night, to keep them safe, as well as wildlife. He hardly ever catches birds but is a casual mouser ❤

30/07/2022

So many great options from this NZ company!

Treat your Cat with one of our Freestanding Cat Enclosures. The perfect gift to allow your Cat to explore whilst remaining safe and secure.🐈️😺

Erna had this to say:
"Easy to put up, great size, cats love it!"

To browse our full range of Cat Enclosures, head to our website: https://catnets.co.nz/collections/freestanding-cat-enclosures

03/07/2022

*Adopted Cinnamon Grace* Beautiful Cinnamon got very lucky and found the perfect quiet adults only home she needed to flourish! Older wild kittens can take longer to settle and build trust, so we're very grateful that her new owners gave her the time and patience she needed! Now she is confident and happy in her new abode and her new Mum says she loves Cinnamons snuggly affectionate side and her funny playful antics 🥰 Thank you for saving a kitten's life and adopting!!

26/06/2022

*ADOPTED Panther* This special little boy went to his new home and his family has this to say about him: "We are in love! Panther has the biggest purr and is so chilled out! He's fit right in and has the run of the house." Panther's awesome new family has committed to keeping him indoors until he's old enough to be neutered and microchipped, to keep him safe and protect wildlife. They also have plans to build a large cat enclosure for him! Thank you for adopting and supporting wild kitten rescue. A huge thank you to Little River Vet Services too, for providing his vet care.

18/06/2022

Introducing our newest Kaitorete Kitten 'Panther'! Panther is a 11 week old male (all black) and although he was wild-born, caught far down Kaitorete Spit, he has melted into the sweetest, snuggliest, bundle of love with the loudest purr! Panther is dewormed and vaccinated. Little River Vet Services is offering a fabulous adoption rate of $105 which includes his neuter at about 6 months of age. Contact Tara if interested.

15/06/2022

Cinnamon Grace is now recovered from her spey and ready to meet her furever family! If you're interested in giving her a wonderful life please message Tara 💜

11/06/2022

This little snuggle bug is looking for a home where she can be cuddled all day! If you are looking for a therapy cat, look no further 😻 Help save more lives - we've got more Kaitorete Kittens coming in needing socialisation and vet care-adopt! ❤️

06/06/2022

It's so hard to believe that Cinnamon Grace was a wild kitten, just over a week ago! We wish we had filmed her more in the first few days when she was impossible to pet and reacted like a hot poker was touching her 🔥😂 The breakthrough was pretty special ❤️ Credit goes to our own pet cats who she saw through the bars of her crate and desperately called to... They of course wanted nothing to do with her but that moment provided an opportunity for human love to fill the void. I've never tamed a wild kitten this age before, but am now completely under her spell 😍 This just shows how much these kittens have to offer us and how much they deserve to be saved.

05/06/2022

Introducing 'Cinnamon Grace', one of our first Kaitorete Kitten successes! Cinnamon Grace was trapped on the Spit about a week ago, and was very fearful at first, and being an older kitten at about 5 months old, we were worried she might be too old to socialise. But with patience, love and lots of yummy food, she quickly learned to trust her human carer and has since made an amazing transformation! She is fast becoming an extremely smoochy and affectionate girl, who can't believe her luck at being safe, warm and well-fed! Little River Vet Services has speyed, dewormed, vaccinated, microchipped and registered her. Cinnamon Grace will soon be ready for adoption. There is a $160 adoption fee to help cover her vet costs. Please message us or contact Little River Vet Services if you are interested in providing this special girl with a safe, forever home. Help us save more Kaitorete Kittens!

01/06/2022

Kaitorete Spit is like no other place on Earth. It is wild and windswept, beautiful and brutal. Stretching between sea and lake, fringed by distant mountains and boasting endless skies. The sunrises, sunsets and stars at night are unbelievable! It has rare and precious bird life. It is also ground zero for wild cat 'elimination' in New Zealand. Leg-hold traps and cat kill traps are out there, hidden. And they are just the beginning.

Our mission is to attempt to save as many young kittens on Kaitorete Spit as possible, before they are killed, and before they can do more damage to our special birds. Kittens trapped by locals will be socialised, vaccinated, dewormed, desexed, microchipped by Little River Vet, and re-homed to loving families as pets- away from Kaitorete Spit. Compassionate wild cat control. A win-win-win for cats, birds and humans! But first we need to catch theses kittens, we know they're out there... this is not nearly as easy as we thought, and we are seasoned kitten catchers. Kaitorete Kittens are proving to be very elusive. And time is against us- and them!