Note: this is a sad post; if you’re not up for it, I totally understand and I’ll see you on Monday with the usual happy fare. (None of the sadness involves any Catsbys or Nestlings, they’re all perfectly fine.)
Last week, Michelle asked if I’d be willing to take a pregnant cat. I told her that I would, once Daisy and the boys had headed to Petsmart. The cat was boarded at the vet for the weekend, and I figured I’d pick her up sometime Monday.
Sunday afternoon my phone rang, and I got the news that when the weekend staff showed up they found that the cat had unexpectedly gone into labor and she had a kitten hanging halfway out. They delivered the kitten (who had died), and five more kittens were born pretty quickly after that. They did an x-ray and found that she still had three kittens left inside her. I left immediately to pick her up and take her to the emergency vet.
This is Firefly.
These are Firefly’s first five kittens.
I had expected to find a distressed cat, but Firefly was bright-eyed and curious, and when we were waiting on the vet at the emergency clinic, she was interested in exploring the room. What she was NOT interested in, in the slightest, were her kittens. They were pretty squirmy and vocal and trying to nurse, but she had no milk at all (in retrospect, I wish very much that I had thought to bring bottles and formula with me). She let them try to nurse, but that was the extent of her involvement with them.
The ER vet did a couple more x-rays and we could see the 3 kittens still inside. But they hadn’t moved into the birth canal yet, so there was a strong chance that Firefly could still deliver them naturally. The vet suggested calcium and colostrum injections, and that I take her home, put her somewhere quiet, and hopefully let nature take its course. I got a second colostrum injection to give her in a couple of hours (we were hoping that it, and further labor, would help encourage her milk to come in.)
On the drive home, she delivered a kitten, but sadly one of the other kittens died. I got she and the kittens set up in a crate in my bathroom and left them alone. When I checked on them a little while later, I saw that she hadn’t cleaned the newest kitten, hadn’t chewed through the cord or consumed the afterbirth, was just sitting there chilling while the kittens huddled in a pile on the other side of the crate. I cut through the cord, cleaned the kitten, and put him/her up against Firefly. When the kitten tried to nurse, she kicked it away.
Firefly had zero milk, didn’t want her kittens up against her, and didn’t seem inclined to birth any more kittens. So I made the decision to take the kittens downstairs, get them nice and warm, feed them, and give them doses of the colostrum supplement I luckily had on hand. Once fed, they settled down and slept quietly.
I set up a camera in the bathroom so I could keep an eye on Firefly without constantly bothering her. She came out of the crate, used the litter box, drank some water, and then went back in to snooze. Around 1 am – 6 hours since the previous kitten had been born – I called and talked to the vet who said that as long as she didn’t seem to be in distress, it’d be okay to monitor her for a few more hours.
Literally the moment I hung up the phone, Firefly birthed a kitten. As soon as the kitten was out and squirming, she pushed it away and turned her back to it. I went into the bathroom, cut the cord, and brought the kitten down to feed, clean, and reunite it with its siblings.
I spent the rest of the night feeding kittens every 2 hours and keeping an eye on Firefly. By morning, she still didn’t look in distress to me, but she did look very tired. I didn’t want to wait until she was actually in a crisis situation, so I took her to the vet and came back home to feed the kittens.
A few hours later the vet’s office called to let me know that there was a kitten waiting for me. Firefly stayed at the vet to recover from the c-section, and I brought the last kitten home to reunite it with its siblings. (Firefly’s milk never did come in.)
The last kitten.
So again I was feeding kittens every two hours (I fell back into the routine pretty quickly). By the third feeding, 4 were taking the bottle and I was tube feeding the other three. Everyone seemed to be doing okay.
At some point late Monday, I was a little worried about one lethargic kitten. When I went to feed them a few hours later, I taken entirely by surprise: three brown tabbies had died since the last feeding, and the tuxie was in the process of dying. Before I could do anything at all, the tuxie died. And suddenly I was down from seven to three kittens.
Twelve hours later, Tuesday evening, another kitten died.
The last two kittens hung in there for another day, but Wednesday evening I lost one, and in the early hours of Thursday, I lost the last one.
It’s been a tough week, to say the least. It’s been so frustrating and heartbreaking to watch them die no matter what I did (I dimly recall promising the last two kittens anything in the entire world if they’d stay alive for me – “please, please… just stop dying.”) This is Firefly’s second litter of the year (when she showed up at a feral colony in Huntsville, she had older kittens with her), and so surely she went into the pregnancy – a pregnancy of NINE kittens – already physically depleted.
The one bright spot in this is that Firefly herself is recovering well – the staff at the vet’s office reported that she’s super sweet and a charming little lovebug. If she had given birth on her own on the street, there’s no way she would have survived.
I never had a chance to name the kittens, but I wanted to share their story here because I didn’t want their brief lives to go by unremarked. They deserved so much more than an incredibly short, sad life, but I know that I did everything I possibly could – and that they were warm and fed and very much loved during their time here.
(Firefly is still at the vet’s, and I imagine she will go to Michelle’s and will be available for adoption soon.)
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I am so grateful that I had these sweet, silly knuckleheads to remind me to breathe during all of this. Being able to just go in and hang out with them for a little while when things got hard was a great help.
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) yesterday.
It’s Thlurrrpsday, so please admire TaterPlover’s form. Nice job, Tater!
I love this picture of former fosters Phoenix (2017) in the back and Amber (formerly Ambercup, 2015) in the front. They’re all “Shhh, she’s coming! Look casual!”
(Thanks Debra!)
YouTube link
There is a whole lotta purring going on around here. The Nestlings are some happy, happy lapkittens.
Good night innernets. (Wren)
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Previously
2022: Jamie and Marsali playing a rousing game of “I bite you, you bite me” while Angus and Fergus do their own thing in the background.
2021: Solenoid update.
2020: Clyde and Honey in the Cutie box.
2019: “They’ll never find me here!” Katriane thinks.
2018: No entry.
2017: She almost looks airbrushed, doesn’t she?
2016: Tuesday morning, the pond was fine, and by Tuesday evening, there were hundreds of dead catfish floating on the surface of the water.
2015: Miz Poo
2014: So, it came as a shock to only a few of you that we’d decided to keep Dennis.
2013: No entry.
2012: No entry.
2011: I love how FS has his big ol’ rabbit feet pressed against Finnegan.
2010: Fostering by the numbers.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: What a difference five weeks makes.
So very sorry you went through this. It’s so heartbreaking. Hope you get a break and time to just enjoy the nestlings and your major success with them!
So sorry about your week
You are a saint
Thank you for all you do for all those babies
You gave them a very good life while they were with you
Hope Firefly feels better soon
Oh Robyn, I’m so sorry that you lost a litter of kittens like this.
Your description of Firefly’s behaviour makes me suggest these babies may have been barely viable at birth and she had nothing more to give.
Tiny Kittens in Canada has a new fading kitten protocol that involves blood typing and a specific antibiotic but I suspect it’s an expensive treatment.
Spaying and neutering – that’s what those of us without the capacity to foster can do to prevent kittens
I suspect the new protocol came from the efforts by Shelly and TinyKittens. They were typing feral B mothers and intervening a couple of years ago. It was all new to them then. (I can’t keep up with them, so I had to quit following.) Those folks are up in the Vancouver area.
I’m so sorry Robyn. It must have been so heartbreaking for you. Thank you for giving them love during their brief lives.
I immediately thought of TK’s fading kitten protocol, too. To watch them bring back kittens from the brink of death is amazing.
Robyn, I’m so very sorry for your loss. You did everything humanly possible to try to save the kittens and they were loved for the brief time they were here. What a heartbreaking story but what a heroic effort on your part to try to save them. You’re the best…
I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that sadness, Robyn! But if anyone could have saved any of those babies, it would have been you – those 4 beauties you are currently fostering are a testament to that. And I agree with Julie, you showed them what love was during their brief little lives. And you truly are the best! Sending great, big hugs your way.
Oh so sad. Those poor babies didn’t have a chance. I’m wondering if they were born too early and hadn’t fully developed. Poor Firefly probably got pregnant while still recovering from the previous batch. As others commented, those babies knew love and warmth for the very short time they lived and you did all anybody could do. They just weren’t meant to be. Such a difficult ordeal for you, go hug and love on your permies and those sweet little Nestlings.
Oh Robyn…that’s heartbreaking!! I’m so sorry! But you gave those babies the best chance, and they were warm, fed and loved. They mattered to all of us here! Big hugs coming your way.
I’m so sorry Robyn – it is heartbreaking.
How very hearbeaking for you. You tried so hard, to care for these poor little babies.
Oh Robyn I am so sorry This is such a sad story . Bless you for trying so hard to give them life. ♥️
You have a heart of gold. I am crying the loss of sweet babies. You held them in your hands and stayed with them in the night, they wouldn’t stay. You did all you could. Bless you.
I have to agree that mom knew something we didn’t.
Love and good thoughts to you; your heart has taken quite a beating this week. But it was for a good cause!
This is very sad and heartbreaking. But sometimes Mama knows something that we don’t. Of course, Mama Kitty sometimes knows she isn’t well enough to raise the babies, so her body tells her to quit her losses and be ready for the next time, and human intervention can save them. We had that happen with a very young Mom cat who kept trying only to feed one baby because she only had milk for one. We were able to keep the others alive and once they smelled fed, she stopped trying to push them away and let them comfort nurse. So we always have to try, because we can’t read Mother Nature’s mind on these things. Still, the babies were warm and loved. Momma cat has survived and that’s wonderful even if the situation itself is sad.
I’m so sorry. Hugs.
What a hard week for you. I’m so sorry.
I am so sorry for all that has happened this week. My eyes are filled with tears for the babies but for you as well. You have a huge heart and an amazing dedication for animals. Spend some time resting, you have to be exhausted, some time laughing at the Nestlings, and telling yourself you did everything possible for the newborn kittens. God bless you.
((hugs))
I am so sorry for you,and the loss of all the kittens. The Kitten Lady on social media has a protocol for faddingbkittens. It might be worth knowing. It still may not have saved theses.
I’m so sorry; what an incredibly hard situation. Thank you for all you do for these kittens.
Those kittens were so lucky to have you to care for them during their short life. They were not alone, they were loved. Thank you for sharing their story, it must have been very difficult to write.
Robyn, I am so very sorry bit I am soooo glad you were there for all of them. Firefly made some beautiful babies…it is soooo sad that they all passed. That is a very unexpected thing. I am glad that they were warm and had full bellies. I am also glad that momma will now be spayed and given a safe loving home.
I hope you can feel the big warm hig I am sending your way. You, my dear, are just amazing.
Please excuse typos.
But and hug
Oh, Robyn, I am so sorry, but also so glad that those babies had you in their short lives. You did everything you could for them. Big hugs…. ❤️
It sounds so awfully tough, but i was in a small way happy to see their little faces and somehow acknowledge their short time here, they were lovely and i think they and you tried your best in the worst of circumstances. I’m glad to hear that their mum is getting to continue her life when she otherwise wouldn’t, and seems she’s plenty full of life herself!
Glad you have the bigger kittens to hug, am sending healing thoughts your way, and hoping your weekend brings some calm and warmth, and recovery.
I’m so very sorry Robyn. You did everything humanly possible to try and keep the babies alive, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I’ve never read of a mother rejecting her newborns, but m sure that for some reason it happens. So many kittens with no chance to live, despite all of your attempts. PLEASE EVERYBODY, KEEP ENCOURAGING YOUR FRIENDS/RELATIVES TO SPADE AND NEUTER!
I’m relieved that you had your other fosters and your permanent residents to hg and give them so much love to help you get through this extremely stressful difficult experience. I’m sending you a warm hug from Milwaukee and I’m grateful for everything you do. Again, I’m so sorry for the very sad passing of those beautiful newborns. You did everything you could do to try & save them but as I wrote above, sadly itjust wasn’t meant to be. Take care of yourself.
You and Fred are so WONDERFUL with what you do. I wish I could reach out and hug you. We all so enjoy you sharing your stories and pictures with us.
Take care of yourself and get plenty of kitty kisses!
Oh that is just heartbreaking. I’m so sorry you had to go thru that, I can’t imagine the emotional roller coaster you were on. You are a true angel for all you do for the fur babies! Your posts about the adventures of fostering, both happy and sad, inspire me to want to try fostering. I’m a lifetime cat lover and currently have an 18 year old male tabby, who is an absolute teddybear! Thank you for caring so deeply for all the kitties, and caring for them with such a big heart!
I’m so sorry for those tiny kittens, but you gave them so much love in their very short lives Robyn. They just weren’t ready for life on earth. Thank you for ALL that you do to save kittens and their mothers. Ebony, Momma Cat, Callie and I are sending you a big hug. Thankfully you have Fred, the permanent residents and the Nestlings to love on for comfort and joy. Take care and get some rest.
Robyn,
That is heartbreaking but I’m so glad that they were I. A safe, warm place with people who loved them and tried to help them.
Thank you so much for trying to care for Firefly and her babies.
Sending purrs for your battered soul. What a hard week, but so grateful that you are willing and able to be there, even for the ones that don’t make it. Thank you.
This very ssd story does underline the need for spaying. The hardship that you went through is so commendable, you are now the Saint of the Babies !!!!!!
Many hugs to you and Fred. That is a heartbreaking situation.
Oh, how awful, sad, and exhausting for you. It’s very very sad. I’m glad that Firefly is doing better and will have a better life now. Thank you for trying to hard. Hug and kiss and squeeze those other babies, they are adorable.
Much love and hugs from Canada… you have done and continue to do your best and your best is phenomenal… so sorry ❤️
All my love and support to you for the courageous battle you fought to help all those kittens. You are such a strong, inspiring woman in all that you do; I know I couldn’t handle such heartbreaking events, and I’m glad people like you are there to help needy cats in every way you can. So happy Firefly is in good hands now and will have a better life.
I’m so sorry you went through this. Your love and expertise gave the kittens every possible chance and the best little lives they could have had. Thank you for all you do. <3
You are an incredibly caring person and the dedication and sacrifices you go through make you an exemplary human.
Robyn, I truly don’t know how you do it. You really are a hero to me. I’m sorry these babies didn’t make it but I know you did your best because you always do. <3
Oh, Robyn, how utterly devastating. 🙁 There is not one single solitary doubt in my mind that if those babies had any chance to make it, they absolutely would have under your amazing care. I know YOU know that, but I also know you’re still pondering “what if…” because you care so very much. Sending all the virtual hugs in the world to you. ❤️
Robyn, I’m so sorry. We had that happen with a litter of six orphaned kittens–the last set we fostered. Having them go one by one no matter what you do is just devastating. Unfortunately, it’s part of fostering, but it really sucks.
So sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking care of all the sweet babies. I enjoy watching them.
I am so sorry but I am thankful that you tried and that these little ones knew love during their short stay.
There are no words to fully express my deepest of condolences and heartfelt support that I wish to give to you and Fred. What you do makes a difference, and you shall always have my most sincere of admiration and respect. Thank you. Thank you for everything, the good, the bad, the sad, and the joyous, all of which makes me appreciate my sweet cats even more. Best wishes, warm thoughts, good vibes, and many blessings are sent your way.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
So glad that Firefly is doing ok (so far) now!
Thank you for sharing their story:
1❤️2❤️3❤️4❤️5❤️6❤️7❤️8❤️9❤️
You are one of the strongest and kindest people I know of, Robyn. You did what you could for the litter. Hope you can take a day to do nothing but play with the current gang of silly little cats and rest.
Oh Robyn, I am so sorry you had to go through that. But I’m glad you shared their short story. It reminds us all that fostering is not all fun and games and playing with kitties. I can’t imagine the heartbreak. Well, sort of, I lost several litters with my favorite cat growing up, never understood why. Momma seemed to know though, she was a great mommy cat but with some litters she just sort of gave up and left, and no matter what we did, they would not survive.
Again, I’m sorry you had to go through this. Hugs and love from me and my furries.
So sorry for the loss of those precious kittens. I am so thankful for people like you who take in pregnant cats and help them in their time of need. I greatly admire & respect how you lovingly care for all the animals you take in and care for. I have been so blessed by watching your videos and updates and even your struggles. Thank you for all you do.
My greatest sympathies, how hard this must have been. So glad you have the happy & healthy nestlings for comfort.
Glad that mama Firefly is doing well and hopefully will have her own home soon.
Robyn I am so sorry, you did all you could to help these tiny kittens. They were loved for their very short time here.
Poor Firefly, she wasn’t ready for another litter. At least this is her last litter.
You have earned your Angel Wings over and over again. These little babies are on the Rainbow Bridge with the rest of the gang.
Your love for cats/kittens is inspiring and without bounds.
Great big hugs to you from a fellow foster who has also lost little ones like this. I think it’s beautiful that you posted about them- not only to honour their lives but to show that fostering is not all sweet fuzzy happy kittens all the time. It takes real strength and mental fortitude.
I don’t know you but I can tell from your posts that you are an incredible foster mom and those babies were so lucky to have you love them. Thank you for persisting as a foster despite the hard times.
Oh Robyn, all the hugs and love. Bless you for all you do for these precious kitty souls.
Please take time for some self-care.
Dear Robyn, I am grateful that you exist. Sending you my deepest respect and love.
Dear Robyn, do you need anything? I bought something you had on your wish list recently. I don’t know what it does but it looked like medicine for kittens. 🙂 I will try to donate again next month. Your pictures of your kittens are a happy pause (paws?) in my day. Stay strong.
I don’t even know what to say. Ever so many hugs offered. Those kittens were loved, and I have no doubt they knew it. Oh my goodness this is heartbreaking. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you and Fred.
Poor Firefly, as well. May she have a long and happy indoor life as a lovebug.
Hugs, MizRobyn. You did what you could, and I feel you saved Firefly’s life.
You did what you could to save these little ones. They were warm, loved and fed. Hugs to you from me and my furry herd.
Go snuggle the Nestlings and let them love on you.
Good heavens, Robyn I had no idea you were facing such a challenge through most of the week. Such sadness At least Firefly will have no more litters and she herself will have time to grow up and go into a loving home. Blessings to you, Robyn, for taking this on…and to the four knuckleheads who diverted you when you needed to be most diverted. May this coming week be soft for you.
An amazing number of kittens for such a normal size mom. She must have sensed something was wrong and pushed them away. So very sorry you went through such a heartbreaking experience. Can’t imagine going thru that.
Hugs to you and Fred, also to Firefly. You did what you could to give those babies a good situation while you could.
I’m so sorry you guys, the kittens and Firefly went through all of that. Thank you for trying so hard and doing what you do. I really appreciate you!
Robyn, it makes my heart hurt with all you have dealt with. Thank you for sharing that with us all, and most of all thank you for the time and effort and love you put into working with these kittens. Sure hoping that things get better from here for all. Glad that Firefly is okay now, and won’t have to struggle any longer with birthing. Take care.
I often wonder why life has to be so [insert often-banned word here] hard and unforgiving. All I know is that you keep on keeping on, feeling & showing love to all those kitties who didn’t deserve their fates, but died in hours or days, or too few years. In their too-brief time here, you loved them, they felt it, and that’s what ultimately counts. There really is only love.
How sad. Poor little Firefly, poor little kittens.
I hope Firefly goes on to a happy life.
What a horrible experience for you. So sad. Thank you for trying. If nobody tried to help, my little chap would have grown up feral and I wouldn’t be getting kisses at 4 am!
I am sad that those sweet babies went to kitty heaven. I am not quite sure why Firefly would take care of her babies. And, yes I did share a few tears reading your post!
Oh, Robyn. The emotional labor of fostering kittens is so high sometimes. Hoping you can be gentle with yourself this week. And know that you did everything that you could for them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do. It must have been a terrible emotional toll. Big warm kitty grilled hugs to you