So today I need a hug.

About 6 months ago, seeking fulfillment in my boring life, I started to rescue and foster cats who were abused or abandoned, rehabilitate them, and get them adopted with loving forever families.

This is extremely rewarding, but then things like this happen, that I just need a hug.



Meet Pinky and the Brain. That's not their real names, we're not naming them because.. well.. it might just be easier that way. But they look like lab mice, so it was a way to differentiate them.

Pinky and the Brain are less than a week old. Their mam was too young to have them, and still birthed three others. She wasn't feeding them, and they were slowly, sweetly, starving to death.

I've had them since about 10p last night, feeding them cat formula from a syringe every 3 hours, and I don't know if they're going to make it.

I need a hug. A big hug.

Please send all your good juju their way.. they need it badly.

If you want to keep track of it, I'm chronicling their progress on my Facebook page, feel free to check it out, and like if it you want. (https://www.facebook.com/renatesfosters)

But please. Send them love. And send me love, this is going to be tough.

 

:grouphug

 

Thanks guys. They were born April 13th. I keep obsessively checking if they're breathing.

 

Awwww! Wenchie I admire your willingness to do this for cats. I totally understand how you can get attached in a nano second. Looks like they are very fortunate to have you as their substitute mother.
Best wishes and HUGS!!!

 

I'm sorry to report that we Lost brain at approximately 4pm.

Around 12:30 I started to feed them again. He protested, and was crying when he went into a seizure. If you've never seen a kitten have a seizure, you are a blessed soul.

Panicked, I had no way to get him to the vet, so I did the only thing I could do. I gave him to Sophie. Sophie jumped right into action, cleaning him, and he seemed to recover. I took him to rest, with her and his sister. I kept jerking awake to see that he was breathing.

Around 2 he started crying again.. then he went into his second seizure. I decided something had to be done, and I put them in a box and walked into my village, at a near run. Panicked I ran into my neighbor, and he took me the rest of the way.

When i got into the office there was only one vet on duty, and a line. I flagged down the receptionist and told them what was wrong, everyone in the office stopped to listen. They all agreed to wait, and pushed me through. (So grateful)

When the vet took them, she said their glucose levels might be low, causing the seizures. When she tested them they were so low they didn't register, they were lucky to be alive at all They gave them Karo syrup, fluids, and and IV.

Pinky perked up and started fighting. Brain's little body couldn't cope. His blood couldn't even clot from the shots.. he died. I brought him home and we'll be giving him a proper little burial tonight. We walked home. I sang to her.

Pinky needs to be seen again in the morning. She's going to have fluids every hour on the hour, and Karo syrup every few feedings. We're going to fight for her.

I'm so grateful to everyone who stepped up today. My neighbor for the ride, those people for stepping aside, the woman in the waiting room who gave me a hug because I was shaking, Carol for paying for the visit, and Amy for giving me the chance to love him before he went, because he was wonderful.

Now we focus on Pinky. If she makes it through to Monday we'll name her. Officially.

I am so exhausted.

 

:grouphug

Sorry you lost one, but you are doing a great thing caring for them. Good thoughts on the way.

 

So sorry you lost both of them.
They live on through those you saved. :grouphug

 

Thank you. It was a rough night.

 

Last night around 4am, I lost the other. She crawled up between my neck and my chin, and rest. I dozed off. When I came to about half an hour later, she was gone. Still lying there resting, on my neck

 

Sorry about that Wenchie, but you did all you could have done.

 

I know of three Zen Masters and all of them are cats

 

I actually lost another several days later. Their cousin.

Turns out I really did do everything I could. The mothers were infected with what's called Calcivirus, and the kitten's bodies couldn't compensate.

I rushed the third one, right to the vet. I got him into the care of someone proficient at doing feeding tube, something I'm not able to do. And he died anyway. He fought so hard.

It was a tough tough week

 

Damn Wenchie! Tough times! You are going the extra mile for sure.

 

Aww Wenchie, what a sad story :cry :grouphug
Seems you need some rainbows and sunshine to lift your spirits

Imagine you are here relaxing on the beach and it might cheer you up a bit



It is good to know other humans that care for our four legged friends so kudos to you Wenchie :highfive

 

Sorry to read, this. Yeah, my cat is about my only friend, too.
Here's a cyber-hug, for what it's worth.:grouphug

 

He was adorable. I made him a deal that if he made it, I would love him forever. Then out of desperation, I said if he made it I'd even go back to church... he started to purr, in response. Which really kind of freaked me out.. but.. I guess I'm off the hook.

I made them a lovely garden. They're all beneath it dreaming.


@ Phantom, I'm your friend!

We adopted a new cat, whom we fostered during all of this. So she's taking some of the sting away. She likes to make my dog her bitch...

 

Nice garden. Glad you got a new friend.

 

So sorry for your loss. You are another special person who does incredible things to help the world be a better place. Thank you for helping take the charge to care for those who really need our help. Glad you have the other cat. Funny how they tend to put the pups in their place, eh? May you find comfort in knowing they had your unconditional love when they most needed it.

 

Hang in there Lady Wench. :wine

 

Hugs are the greatest. Fortunately for me I give and receive many of them every day at work. Bless the beasts and the children...

 

Those are my preferred company... Beasts and Children.

Miss Izzy (Pictured) is doing just fine, but on Sunday we went through something pretty tragic and so horrific, I don't even want to talk about it in detail, and I am not okay,

It's enough to shake my faith in myself, in what i do. Trying to heal. Not succeeding. I posted the story on my cats page. It's linked here somewhere. But if I ever needed a hug before, oh boy do i now

 

Hey, From your recent post, you didn't miss anything. The problem (organisms from the mom) weren't 'fixable' and the unconditional love and your presence were the incredible gifts you gave. It can be so easy to find fault w our actions and beat ourselves up, and so easy to ignore all the good we do.

Dogs and kids are my preferred company - no judgement. Just love and the ability to be 'real.' My mom's dog passed away 3 wks ago. He literally saved several people's lives and was one of the very last earthly connections I had w my mom (who's 1yr burial anniv'y was last Sun).

How one heals is very personal, but *please* give yourself a break and some time. I've been listening to dharma talks - most recently to Sylvia Boorstein and Ajhan Brahm- both for wisdom and often unexpected laughter. If nothing else, they serve as great distractions.

I'm so sorry this is such a hard day for you. Sending a virtual hug and much healing energy your way.

 

Oh, thank you. I know the kittens weren't my fault. It was sad, and awful, but it was beyond my control.

But I was referring to this:
https://www.facebook.com/renatesfos...mment_id=830227780385957&notif_t=feed_comment

I'm told this was also beyond my control, but I just keep thinking of all the things that had to happen, and how they could have been avoided, and I just can't stop crying.

 

Sorry Wenchie! :grouphug

 

Your doing a wonderful job looking after the unloved furry ones. We got are little diva from Cats Protection League. Shes called Coco and we love her to bits. We have lived with her for about 6 years.