Rescue & Care for Avonmore Park Kittens

On behalf of my daughter and her two friends who rescued THREE kittens from our beautiful community park in Avonmore, I am appealing for financial support in order for us to keep feeding them and to apply towards their vaccinations.

We do not plan on keeping them. They will only go to homes that have guaranteed that they will love, adore and spay them for the duration of their lives. Adoptees are responsible for funding the spay and vet care after adoption.

They were rescued from the Avonmore Community park on Friday, June 21st, 2024. They were found in a ditch culvert. Very scared, terrified of human interaction and looking hungry. Mom was nearby, but unable to lure. She was starving also. These kittens had somehow survived the hottest heat wave we had in some time! The girls tried for hours to capture mom and feed her. Sadly we couldn’t but she will need to be fixed eventually but it’s taking these three female kitties it means three less on our streets reproducing.

We will continue to keep an eye out for mom and see if we can capture her sometime. She is likely pregnant or will soon to be. She looks like the grey kitties.

My daughter is home for the summer from school and was hanging at the park when they spotted the kittens and she called me. called from the park. She called and said “we can’t leave them here mom!” so I went with a blanket, treats and food for mom and a crate. I had no idea what would follow but these kitties deserved more.

They tried for hours to catch mom, but couldn’t and returned home with the kittens in the crate. I had left to go to Cornwall to get kitten formula.

and so it began…. My daughter had us on a feeding schedule and has been taking such great charge of being head caretaker of these three NOW super sweet kitties. Did I mention they were scared initially? Oh they hissed and spit. They were all very feisty. And had sharp teeth and extra toes with sharp nails!

We have been in contact with rescues and the SPCA, a vet tech and a vet office. We want to do right by these kitties and Alyssa has always had such a passion for animals all her life with some incredible experience from working at a rescue. She knows that they deserve proper nutrients, affection, exposure, play time and their health taken care of before they go forward to their next loving home.

This meant that giving them this opportunity at a good life with disciplined and proper care, we would need supplies. Formula is expensive. Deworming and vaccinations are expensive. We have given time, care, love, hope, play time. It’s been good for us. We don’t want to open a rescue. But we now more than ever see why rescues struggle.

We haven’t forgotten about mom. I understand that she does get fed sometimes along with her ginger boyfriend (possibly named Jimmy?) We posted on our community page to see if someone knew mom’s history so we can try to get a live trap out some night to see if we can get her spayed and released back. (Where we would appeal again to help raise funds for her spay if no owner comes forward.

We aren’t looking to campaign for change, that is an issue that I think needs its own platform. But we are just trying to do what is right and would like to see if you would consider helping financially to assist us to move forward with these THREE kittens. Our actions are done with the intent to help our community to have three less litters populating in Avonmore.. these three are all female.

If you read this far, then you remember I said they were feisty.. right?

So I am confident in saying that their attitude comes from their mom.

I’m going to ask you to follow along as I explain their journey and I will give some insight into our experience in deciding to jump in and help these little buggers. And to show you how you can also help.

This is the night they arrived. We didn’t know how old they were or if they were still getting milk from momma. So we decided to try formula in a bottle with a nipple meant for kittens. Nope. Teeth were too sharp. So they were spoon fed…. For several days, several feeds over 24 hours. Getting up for middle of the night feeds.

They had to be captured at the back of the small cage they were in. They still hissed and spit. It was estimated they were around 4 weeks old.

Alyssa guided us all, Paige & Reagan (our neighbour angels that found and rescued kitties along with her) and myself on what to do. We have been weighing them and they are putting on weight. Initially they needed to be stimulated to pee or poo as mom would have been doing this. I went through towels I had at home and found some bag of rags at value village that has come in handy. They were messy eaters and still a little spicy! They are improving.

They would eat and then sleep…. And eventually pooped and peed on their own.. but still so messy. They didn’t know litter from bed or vice versa. Kitties were covered in litter.

It’s been a week and a half and they have already went through so much formula, they also get a little extra nourishment with some wet kitty food and most recently they have been taking to the dry kibble at night.

This means that the kitten caregiver team have been getting more rest. We purchased a scale and had to upgrade their home. Thank goodness for Facebook Marketplace!

On my trips to Cornwall for more formula in the past week. I was able to pick up some things at the dollar store to keep their area clean, us clean, litter and bowls. A generous friend in the community gave us some puppy pads as they hadn’t quite figured out the litter. A little mess and less spicy.

I have called rescues and shelters to ask for help with formula or supplies. They are all so overrun right now as this is the time of year when they have the most litters. They are unable to support us financially.

And I can see why. They were relieved when I said I didn’t want them to foster that we were willing to do that but just rather wanted help with the feeding and vet expenses.

It’s all the little extras that add up too. I want to be transparent about what we have spent on the kittens and what we forecast before they can be rehomed and adopted out.

Seeing how we are making a difference now with these kitties and what their future could’ve been, I don’t think I could’ve said no. If we can’t raise money, we will always make do. We are asking through kindness and not looking for criticism. No is ok. Please share the post if you can.

These kittens have been amazing to watch and have developed their own personalities They come to the door when they see humans rather than shy away or hiss. They are getting fed regularly and gaining weight. We had the help of a community angel that helped us get them dewormed.

As lead on the rescue Alyssa has been quite disciplined in schedules, feedings, tracking info, cleaning and supplies. And I expect her to be the same way before they are placed in the hands of their next family.

They have transformed already in such a short time. They are affectionate, curious and playful. And so incredibly sweet. They are still nervous about some new things but we are continuing to expose them to different sights and sounds as much as we can. They will all be incredible family pets some day.

Their little feistiness and spice are slowing down as they looking forward to seeing people and food and cuddles. They are very special little munchkins.

From left to right…

Harrie, Elmo and Creek. We will feature them individually during our campaign.

We hope you can help and know our intentions are to give them a fresh start and take three unfixed females off our streets. Any little helps. 5$ instead of Tim’s Double Double. We only want the full funds when the full amount is raise so you can donate with care. We will share literal receipts. (IYKYK). It’s for our community.

Here is how we came up with the amounts and predicted costs for the go fund me.

That’s me, Valerie along with no longer fiesty Creek.