8/30/21 – On August 24, I was contacted about 4 one-week old kittens found alone and put in a box in hopes a mom would show up. The mom didn’t show up after a few hours and the finder contacted us. Unfortunately, I knew there wasn’t much a vet could do with one week old kittens needing bottle feeding immediately, let alone would we have any success getting into a vet with any urgency during these overwhelming days. And, even with emergency hospitals, there are literally, hours-long waiting periods because of the shortage of emergency hospitals, staffs, and the rising number of animal injuries and illnesses. So, I called on a dear friend who has been in rescue for over 20 years. In the meantime, the finder had found a foster who picked up the 4 babies. With an hour, our friend contacted and immediately met with that person. Our friend took on 2 of the kittens and the ‘foster’ took in the other two. Our friend explained and provided supplies needed to bottle feed, take care of fleas, etc. and anything else which could be needed for the two kittens. Then the challenge began. I shortly heard back from my friend. Her babies were filled with maggots!! She had to pull them out of the babies’ vaginas, ears, almost every orifice that she could spot. Absolutely horrific. Then one died. The task became more than she had the supplies for and the remaining kitten went to another friend, experienced and supplied with what could be needed. Plus that friend had direct contact with one of our veterinary doctors. That baby had more maggot in the ears, the urethra, and the vagina and had severe infections in the bladder and ears. Then one of the babies with the other foster died all the while getting help from the other two women. The last baby was passed over to our most experienced friend. Again, more maggots, seizures, a head tilt and falling over and more infections. God willing these last two will survive and, at all times, our veterinary is on hand ready to do what is needed.

This has been one of the worst situations I have been involved with in 12 years and decided to only describe and NOT show what these poor babies were deluged with. Please, please continue to pray for these last two orphans and thank God, with me, that there are people like these three women and so many of our friends, rescuers, and vets who step up to go through the care that is needed as well as the loss that often occurs. – diana.

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