6 Tiny Baby Cat Graves - 1 Broken Heart

catsknowme

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Slowly, but surely, I lost 6 tiny babies

Last Saturday, they were born to a feral mom in the Denny's parking lot - she had all six next to a parking curb but then became panicked & abandoned her too-public "nest". Poor thing is a baby herself - she didn't eat the afterbirth or clean them up & their cords were dried together in a tangle, flies crawling all over them.
The lady who feeds the ferals there called me & I brought a trap. We contacted the homeowner on the other side of the fence & got permission to set up the trap there. Using the babies as bait, she finally went in ( i think the cries stoked her maternal instincts), but was freaked out.
For the safety of the babies, I provided large boxes w/holes & warm bedding & put them all in a large dog kennel with a chute leading thru the bathroom window, hoping that she would move them herself. Mom simply abandoned them - late that night, a freezing storm blew in & I had to take over.
The first kitten passed on Tues. night; then 2 more Wednesday; 1 on Thurs. am, 1 on Thurs. night & then the strongest early Friday am.
I had called both vets who both said that it was more humane to let them slip off naturally than to attempt to euthanise them (it's done thru the stomach, cuz they are so small). They also said that w/o the mom for the first 12 hours, the odds were terrible. Sadly, they were right

Run swiftly over RB, dear babies...and Tasha, dear RB dog, please care for them just as you did our other foster litters when you were here on earth

I am so sorry that I failed you
 

alaskakatz

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You did NOT fail. You did everything you could for them and they had more love in their short lives with you then they would have ever had without you. Wonderful people like you who care enough to try make me know that there is still hope in this world. I have a baby boy who was an abandoned kitten at less than 5 days old in the bottom of a closed dumpster. His two siblings died before someone heard him and brought him to the shelter. I bottle fed that baby and now he is a strong boy. I was lucky, he was older. Being abandoned at birth was just too hard on their little bodies. May God bless you for caring and trying.
 

hissy

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More than likely she abandoned them because there was something wrong with them. Stray queens do that, if they smell off or funny they just leave them, they don't clean them off or nurse them. The babies never had a chance seriously. At least they died knowing warmth and love from you. Take some comfort in that. They would have died in the best of rescuer's care- trust me on that one. The vet is correct it is more humane to let them slip away in your hands, then to take them in for euthanization.
 

clixpix

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Aww, poor little babies! Well, they're at peace now.


for you!
 

farleyv

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I always hesitate coming to this forum. I end up crying. But the posters are right. I know your heart is full of pain, but time will clarify any doubts you have. You will know you did all you could. God bless you and others like us for having the heart to give to these little ones even though so many times it ends up being broken. The babies are happy now and frolicking at the RB with all of our beloved animals. They left this earth knowing love.What more can we ask? God speed.
 

KittenKrazy

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Hissy said it better than I ever could, and she's right. I know it doesn't stop the hurt that you feel right now, or the sense of failure, but you didn't fail them, you gave them your best- and that's all that any of us can do. ((((hugs))))
 
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catsknowme

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Thank you for your kind posts of understanding and encouragement- I just have to force myself to get over this and begin doing a TNR asap. 16 cats have already been poisoned in the last few weeks, which is why the property owners insist that the cats be relocated (but to where
)...And I have to cage mom up & get her spayed on Monday....when really, I feel like just crying
 

jcat

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I'm so sorry to hear this. The poor little things never stood a chance, but at least they had you there to care.
, little babies.
 

ebrillblaiddes

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Originally Posted by catsknowme

I am so sorry that I failed you
You didn't fail. They had no chance to have anything but itty bitty lives. You made their itty bitty lives warm and happy instead of cold and lonely; you taught them about being rescued and loved, and I'm sure they love you and will wait for you at the Bridge, knowing that when you get there they'll be loved and cuddled and played with to make up for lost time and more.
 

zohdee

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You did not fail. You showed caring where a great many people would have just walked by. The babies know that.
 

abbycats

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You didn't fail. You tried to save their precious little lives. You are such a wonderful caring person.

I remember years ago I rescued a pregnant torti girl from a king soopers parking lot. She got Pyometria at the end of her pregnancy and had to be rushed to the vet. I requested to the vet to save her kittens if he could. She had 2 little babies who were premature but they were alive. They came home with me and momma but died that night. I was so heartbroken but it wasn't meant to be. Momma cat who I named kitty lived a long life with us and passed on to RB when she was an elderly cat. I didn't know how old she was when I rescued her. I know she had a hard life until that day.

RIP little babies
 
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