PAWS TO PONDER

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by Suzyn Barron, President of Warwick Valley Humane Society, Inc. 

Did you know, Spring has sprung and kitten season has begun? The trees, shrubs and flowers are blooming and mama cats are birthing! 

Mild winters or temporary breaks in the cold weather lead to the business of breeding sometimes earlier than usual which is what has happened this year.   Times six!  A friendly calico was the first to present us with three infants and thankfully, she is such a good mom cat.  As we geared up with our TNR (trap-neuter-return) program, it was already too late.  One feral cat gave birth to five infants, two of which the mother cat rejected causing their death.  The other three were removed and became “bottle babies” requiring around the clock care for the next several weeks.  Unlike human babies, infant kittens need to be stimulated to eliminate their bladders and bowels at each feeding.   The third mom gave birth to four with only three surviving and she rejected them as well.  She was either a very young mom or too stressed to nurse.  So now there were six infants for ‘round the clock care.  Sadly, into the second week two of the second mom’s faded away, unable to gain weight or grow despite exhaustive care.  This is just a peek at the behind the scenes heartache in animal welfare.  Mom number four had four and luckily all are doing well together.  But Mom number five, again either too young or too stressed, gave birth to her first but left the placenta attached which is not normal!  The infant was found wet and cold with no attention from the mom.  Quick intervention saved that baby, but his mom had no interest in caring for him.  She briefly attended to her second kitten but not the third.  By divine intervention, all three were saved despite her choice to deliver them from a shelf and not the cozy whelping box in the cage.  Taking a chance, thus giving these infants the best chance at survival, they were placed with Mom number four in the hope that she would nurse them as her own and she has. Number six Mom to be is due any day now as we have observed movement in her belly.  Here we are at the end of April with 22 infant kittens and counting.  Once all of these kittens are weaned, the shelter workload will increase to accommodate their multiple feedings, medicating and cage upkeep as adorable kittens are quite messy.  

According to Citizens for Animal Protection “uncontrolled reproduction in cats can quickly become overwhelming leading to an increasing population that strains resources and shelters.  Spaying and neutering are simple, effective solutions to prevent this cycle and promote a healthier community for people and animals”. The average feral cat produces around 6-14 kittens per year with only 25% of those kittens surviving due to illness, injury, predators and environmental conditions.  There is only one humane answer: Spay and Neuter, because every life matters. 

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