Many of the kittens in Kittenville have sad histories. In one cage, mother Agaves nurses her three kittens: Yucca, Cactus and Prickly Pear. She was being fed by someone when they noticed that she was limping badly. A kind citizen was concerned and brought mom and kittens to Tree House. Agaves has a severely dislocated hip. The Tree House veterinarian tried to pop it back into place, but was not successful. Agaves will have to have surgery to repair the hip. Tree House will have her seen by a specialist to see if the surgery can wait until she finishes nursing – she is a fabulous mom! We will do whatever is in her best interest and that of her kittens. Meanwhile, she rests and for her one week old babies.

In two other cages are seven little kittens – mostly white with a gray spot between the ears. The person who had been feeding their mother saw her killed by a car, so she rounded up the seven kittens and brought them all to Tree House. Staff members caution kind-hearted kitten rescuers to make sure that the kittens need rescuing before picking them up. Sometimes the mother cat is just out hunting and the litter hasn’t been ab andoned. If people h andle the kittens, the mother might be afraid to return to the litter. Staff suggests that, before a “rescue,” people watch the litter from a distance for a day to see if the mother returns. They might even put out some food to see if the mother cat comes to feed. As good as we are at taking care of kittens; the mother cat is the best caretaker.

Recently a very little kitten was found on a golf course with his umbilical cord still attached, probably only hours old. The kitten’s body temperature was very low. His chances of survival were very, very poor. Staff members didn’t even name him initially (it hurts too much to get emotionally attached). The veterinarian on-duty at Tree House tied off, then removed the umbilical cord, and placed the kitten in an incubator to warm him up. Kittens that have a low body temperature can’t even eat until they are warm. Amazingly enough, this little kitty was very tough and determined. He came around as he warmed up, and now the aptly-named Pee Wee is being fostered in the home of our Clinic Manager.

Each kitten in Kittenville is closely monitored. Every day, his or her appetite, hydration, stool, weight, and activity level are checked. If the kitten loses weight, even just one ounce, different food will be tried. If this doesn’t work, the kitten will be fed using a syringe. If any sign of illness is noted, it is immediately treated. When the kittens reach approximately 2 ½ to 3 pounds (usually at about 3 months), they are spayed or neutered and, after recovering from the surgery, are placed on the Adoption Floor. While in Kittenville, they get a lot of h andling and play from the staff. If a kitten is especially shy or frightened, our socialization expert provides special care. Currently, a little black kitten named Inkling is receiving this extra attention. Hopefully he will become less frightened as he realizes that we are all here to help and make him feel happy and safe.

Most of the kittens that come to Kittenvillr are orphans. Sometimes the mother has been killed or injured, sometimes she has been scared off, and sometimes she has rejected the kitten because of an injury or illness. Usually someone finds a litter in a garage or ab andoned building. While we love all kittens, we wish not so many were being produced. Every day, we see the troubles and trauma that these little creatures have had to endure. Tree House continues to work to exp and our Spay/Neuter Program in order to reduce the incidence of unwanted litters.

The clinic staff and caregivers of Tree House put their hearts and skills to the test as they care for these kittens. As the kittens move on to the Adoption Floor to await their forever homes, we hope that the love and care they receive in Kittenville will erase the hardships they experienced before their arrival. Each and every kitten that moves on to get adopted is a testament to the kindness of the person that rescued the tiny life, the skill and caring of the Tree House staff, the determination of the kitten itself, and the continuous care and support of our donors.