Bottle feeding kittens takes dedication

Posted by Jobi on August 31, 2009

D. Sharon Pruitt of Pink Sherbet Photography

News from Save Our Strays, Inc. reveals a busy summer for their volunteers with the discovery of two separate litters of abandoned kittens. The first set – four one-week old babies – was rescued by a compassionate woman in Largo, Fl. She found the kittens abandoned in a shed. Their tiny eyes were not even open yet. Enter in Save Our Strays volunteer and expert bottle feeder, Val. The task of feeding three tiny Tabbies and one Tortie would require Val’s attention round the clock.

Did she complain? Not at all. She said “They are an absolute joy. Every day they get bigger and accomplish some sort of new ‘kitty feat’.” She also says all four purr a lot when they are taking their bottles.

Val’s cat, Natasha, thinks they are HER babies and has totally taken over the care of them. At the same time this is all going on, Val is also feeding two baby males, and by doing so has virtually saved their lives.

The second set, another foursome, was born among bags of mulch at a Lowe’s garden center in north Pinellas County. These little guys with eyes not yet opened escaped being run over by a forklift. Cara, an employee of Lowe’s saved the Tabby kittens and took them to SOS volunteer Hilda. “Bottle-babies are my specialty,” says St. Petersburg resident Hilda, who set her alarm to feed the baby kitties every two hours. After the kittens have opened their eyes, Hilda scales back the feeding to every two hours. She even takes the kitties with her on days she cares for her grandchildren so they tiny ones do not miss out on their feeding.

Now, that is pure dedication from two very special Save Our Strays, Inc. volunteers. Do you know a volunteer or pet lover with such compassion for the helpless baby animals? Please feel free to tell their story in my comments section. News like this is day brightener for us all.