Two burials and a Rescue.
The weather has finally turned chilly here. Saturday, we awoke to thunderstorms with rain, that turned to sleet, then finally gusty winds and snow. While the accumulation wasn't anything to talk about (and being the 5th of December, a bit late to be honest), the temperature started to plunge. We had already planned for this event this year. We had bought a large doghouse, and equipped it with a heated water dish, a large autofeeding catfood bowl, and draped a blanket over the opening. We also have a CC camera to peek in on the kitties that feed there. We have a large concrete porch that has a large area underneath. We had put in bubblewrap and some carpeted round "kitty condo" cubicles a few years ago, so the outdoor cats can huddle in and stay warm during the colder times. In past years, that hasn't met with such good success with the younger kittens. I have ended up burying more than our fair share.
This year, we decided to take a large box that just fit under the porch, put ion the carpeted kitty condos, added some towels, and draped a blanket over the opening, so that the mama cat could help keep the kittens warmer. I don't know if it helped much.
Sunday, I saw at least one of the kittens, Stripe, I think,on top of the box, while tossing in some more towels. I figured they were pretty much OK. Watching the camera, we only saw the mama cat at the feeder Monday. This morning (Tuesday), before going out on the road, Brenda took a look with a flashlight. She could hear the mama cat hissing furiously. She always does. It's her way top show her love. Brenda lifted the blanket to see how the kittens were doing. two of them weren't. Stripe and Torti-baby had passed away sometime in the past 24 ours. Curly Jr. was bundled up behind mama in one of the padded condos. Mama was furious at us.
Since nothing could be done this morning, we went out and did the work that was scheduled. When we returned, we put away the parts and the stuff from the Commissary, and while Brenda was inside, I went and performed burial detail. I had to dig a space through the frozen ground (It hasn't been about freezing since Sunday). I then went and got the two little kittens, who look like theyy died in their sleep. mama was hissing and angry and ran off to the site, growqing at me. Curly was huddled in the back of the condo.
After doing what I had to, I went back inside and got to thinking...
Brenda had gone out to pick up mail and dinner. I decided to perform a rescue. I grabbed one of the pet carriers and a pair of gloves. I ducked under the porch and lifted the blanket. mama predictably hissed and went off to one site to threaten me, leaving Curly behind, hidden in the condo. I quickly turned the condo until I saw him, snagged him and put him in the carrier, then shut the front door. he was hissing at me, but with his eyes all gummed up with mucous, he couldn't see very well. he also had it running from his nose and a little from his mouth. He was probably going the same route as his two sisters. i was going to do my damnedest to not let that happen.
I put the blanket back down on the box, brought in the carrier, and draped a heating pad across the top, after putting in a bowl a food, a cup of water, and a small container of litter. It was the same setup I had made for Punkin, his other sister. Curly hissed at me whenever I pulled the heating pad back to see how he was doing. After Brenda got home, and saw the surprise I had, she helped me get him out of the carrier and wash his face with a warm washcloth. he wasn't happy, and although he hissed, he ultimately stopped the struggling and fighting it. I cleaned out the box from the mess he ad made, and put in a clean towel.
We took some pictures. he looks a bit rough, but I hope he recovers. he looks better than he did when I first snagged him:
I'll take him to the vet tomorrow (if he survives the night) and give him a once over. We'll see what happens from there.
This year, we decided to take a large box that just fit under the porch, put ion the carpeted kitty condos, added some towels, and draped a blanket over the opening, so that the mama cat could help keep the kittens warmer. I don't know if it helped much.
Sunday, I saw at least one of the kittens, Stripe, I think,on top of the box, while tossing in some more towels. I figured they were pretty much OK. Watching the camera, we only saw the mama cat at the feeder Monday. This morning (Tuesday), before going out on the road, Brenda took a look with a flashlight. She could hear the mama cat hissing furiously. She always does. It's her way top show her love. Brenda lifted the blanket to see how the kittens were doing. two of them weren't. Stripe and Torti-baby had passed away sometime in the past 24 ours. Curly Jr. was bundled up behind mama in one of the padded condos. Mama was furious at us.
Since nothing could be done this morning, we went out and did the work that was scheduled. When we returned, we put away the parts and the stuff from the Commissary, and while Brenda was inside, I went and performed burial detail. I had to dig a space through the frozen ground (It hasn't been about freezing since Sunday). I then went and got the two little kittens, who look like theyy died in their sleep. mama was hissing and angry and ran off to the site, growqing at me. Curly was huddled in the back of the condo.
After doing what I had to, I went back inside and got to thinking...
Brenda had gone out to pick up mail and dinner. I decided to perform a rescue. I grabbed one of the pet carriers and a pair of gloves. I ducked under the porch and lifted the blanket. mama predictably hissed and went off to one site to threaten me, leaving Curly behind, hidden in the condo. I quickly turned the condo until I saw him, snagged him and put him in the carrier, then shut the front door. he was hissing at me, but with his eyes all gummed up with mucous, he couldn't see very well. he also had it running from his nose and a little from his mouth. He was probably going the same route as his two sisters. i was going to do my damnedest to not let that happen.
I put the blanket back down on the box, brought in the carrier, and draped a heating pad across the top, after putting in a bowl a food, a cup of water, and a small container of litter. It was the same setup I had made for Punkin, his other sister. Curly hissed at me whenever I pulled the heating pad back to see how he was doing. After Brenda got home, and saw the surprise I had, she helped me get him out of the carrier and wash his face with a warm washcloth. he wasn't happy, and although he hissed, he ultimately stopped the struggling and fighting it. I cleaned out the box from the mess he ad made, and put in a clean towel.
We took some pictures. he looks a bit rough, but I hope he recovers. he looks better than he did when I first snagged him:
I'll take him to the vet tomorrow (if he survives the night) and give him a once over. We'll see what happens from there.