When a plea went out from The Animal Foundation in Nevada for kitten formula, they had no idea who was going to step up and help. Abandoned newborn kittens, or cats of ANY age, should NOT be given cows milk (just in case you are not aware). Occasionally, another nursing mother cat will accept the kittens and they can feed from her.
But for shelters and rescues, this isn’t something often on hand. What these neonatal babes then require is a powdered or premixed formula, usually called a milk replacer. And of course, it’s not cheap and does expires once open. Not to mention that newborn kittens must be fed every 2-3 hours!
So when their kitten formula supply was running low, the local news featured the shelter’s need.
They happily reported a very successful Clear The Shelters event throughout August. Approximately 700 animals were adopted through the month!!
But this year, about 600 newborn kittens ALONE have been taken in by the organization…so far.
Which thankfully also opened up some free time for their volunteers during an always too long kitten season. But every rescuer and shelter knows, there are never enough bottle baby feeders and caregivers. Because their delicate health can change in an instant. And because you never know when another kitten clinging to life will cross your threshold.
During the visit, the reporters were treated to some of the adorable newborn faces that kitten formula was for.
And the shelter was sure to remind everyone that neonatal kittens don’t only depend on our donations to survive. They depend on our time as volunteers to help during those round-the-clock feedings.
Kitten season is in full swing – and boy do we need your help! We have an urgent need for kitten formula! Can you help us? Here at The Animal Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves a second chance, and we know you do too.
Will you come to the rescue for these little fluff balls?
Once the post was shared on their social media pages, a team of individuals caught wind of the plea.
Not only did the “troop” show up with much needed kitten formula in hand, they were ready to jump in for a feeding shift!
The uniformed troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol were there to help save the day! They had taken up a collection at the department to purchase the life saving formula. But they weren’t only there to lend a paw to the kitchen crew.
They got to experience the heart melting, ear wiggle that accompanies bottle baby kittens.
“Oh my gosh,” Trooper Britta Foesch told KSNV. “They’re amazing, they’re so little. They need homes.”
“I don’t think the day is going to get much better from here,” says Trooper Jason Buratczuk. “If we can help them out we’re going to do it.”
Sadly, shelters all around the world need supplies on a regular basis.
If you’re feeling a bit grumpy, why not go make a dog smile at a local shelter? The purr of a cat has been scientifically proven to have healing properties you know. Covid-19 may be keeping us further apart than we like right now, but many locations will schedule a volunteer time for you.
Sometimes all it takes is one action to inspire others to change the life of a needy neonates like these.