Cats just keep coming!
Two more mamas and litters rescued in recent days
Earlier this year, RAPS rescued 50 cats and kittens from a hoarding situation in Richmond. Those rescues quickly grew to more than 70 animals! Most have now reached an age where they have been adopted and are now in their forever homes. But the wealth of felines just keeps coming!
Last week, we received a call from a man who said he was working on his boat at the Shelter Island Marina when he found a mama cat and four kittens (their eyes still closed) in his dry-docked vessel. He informed us that the mama cat ended up moving all kittens into another boat which was aluminum, through a small hole at the bottom of the boat, probably due to all the noise. He was concerned for them as they are so young and it was very hot out, especially now that they were in an aluminum boat which would make it even hotter for them. He noted that the mama cat is looked skinny. The gentleman left food for the mama cat and RAPS Animal Control Officers attended to try and catch the mom and kittens. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach the mama or kittens as the hole they went in was very tiny, only about the size of a fist. We left them for the night and returned the next morning, as we were very concerned about the mom and kittens being in the hot aluminum boat. When we finally got access to the boat, with the help of marina staff, the mama was surprisingly friendly. Maybe she knew we were there to help.
Eventually, we also rescued not four but five kittens and, together with mom, brought them to the City Shelter. They all appear to be in good health and mom was soon soaking up cuddles from staff and volunteers. She seems to be around three years old and her kittens a mere week-and-a-half. We named mom Quinna and the kittens are Quinton, Quimby, Quigley, Queso and Qtip.
They’ve all gone to one of our long-term foster moms, where they will stay until they are eight weeks old. Then they will return to the Shelter to be vaccinated, dewormed and receive a veterinary exam. Once they are cleared by the vet, we will be looking to place them each in a forever home.
But wait. There’s more.
About the same time, we received Zora and her five kitties. These feral little spitfires were rescued from a storage area at the back of a residential property. They are in a much better temporary home now, but they are being socialized by our expert team because mama is not tame and the kittens are just getting a handle on humans too!
Joining a number of cats and kittens already at the Shelter – some ready for adoption, others not yet – suffice to say, it’s a summer of feline abundance. If you have been discussing adopting with your family … We have kittens and cats ready now and in the coming weeks for their loving forever homes!
ONLINE CAT ADOPTION APPLICATION
Download Cat Adoption Application