STEPPING IN FOR ORPHANED AND ABANDONED KITTENS

Little kittens come into this world with their eyes and ears all snugly closed, totally oblivious to the cacophony of a wide range of sounds, as the world goes about, bustling with its busy life.

- Dr. Reeja George P.*

The early days are crucial to their survival, for which they rely heavily on their mother for all important warmth and of course an unending source of valuable cat milk. But sometimes, the inevitable happens, the cat mom could have behavioural problems that stand in the way of her caring for her kittens, or she may not be able to produce enough milk for them and in cases of a difficult birthing, she may not be able to respond to the needs of her kittens. In very unfortunate instances, we may even lose the cat mom. Of late, humans have made a rude entry into life cycle of a cat, sometimes deciding on whether the cat mom will keep or lose her kittens. The instances of cat owners abandoning newborn kittens have become painfully common. As a responsible, humane pet owner one should remember that if you didn’t want kittens, in the first place, you should have spayed your cat. Throwing helpless kittens into streets is cruel and one of the most inhumane ways of responding to such a situation.

Coming back to our subject, in all such instances where kittens lose their moms, it is imperative that a pet parent steps in and dons the garb of a human-cat mom. It is admittedly a daunting task – there is no doubt about that – but it is also a very rewarding one! You will need to do your homework, and in case you need any help, your vet could advise you.

WARMTH