When a stray kitty was ready to give birth, she was unable to find a place warm enough, so she settled for whatever came closest to what she needed.
“Calida tried her best to find a warm place to give birth, but was only able to find an outdoor laundry room with a freezing concrete floor,” Tasha Bukovnik, vice president of VOKRA(Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association), told The Dodo about the mother cat who was admitted into the rescue last week.
Vancouver has been very cold. Because of the horribly cold conditions the Calida’s kittens were exposed to at birth, five of them passed away right after they were born.
“All the kittens were healthy and would have lived had Calida been able to give birth in a warm environment,” Bukovnik said.
But one tiny kitten was still alive.
Calida and her last kitten waited in that cold laundry room for someone to rescue them. Calida knew she somehow had to keep her last baby warm, so she covered the little kitten with her own body.
The homeowner discovered the mommy cat and her kitten, and rescued them.
VOKRA volunteers rushed to the little family and bring them into the rescue center for emergency care. They drove as fast as they could on icy roads, to help Calida and her kitten survive.
Calida was in bad shape when she arrived. She was extremely hungry, and ate with no control. Then she proceeded to rest, nurse her kitten, which is now named Sentrie.
“Sentrie is a chubby little girl, but Calida is on the thin side and can’t seem to get enough food,” Bukovnik said.
As rescuers spent time with Calida, they started to suspect that she was once someone’s pet and was abandoned. The fact that she was a tame cat, led them to that belief.
As Calida and her baby, Sentrie grow stronger and bond, rescuers hope that Calida’s sad story of losing almost all her kittens, will encourage people to get their pets spayed and neutered to avoid unnecessary suffering.
Despite their said beginning, momma and kitten’s future is looking bright. “We hope to be moving them into foster care in the coming days,” Bukovnik said. “They’ll be able to recuperate in a home environment and, when they’re ready, be put up for adoption together.”
A very sad thing what these cats had to go to through. Always keep your eye open, there could be a kitty in distress where you least expect it. Share with friends!
