One of Our Exceptions

SNUGGLE Pet Rescue only accepts mother cats and their kittens when there are special circumstances involved. Cloud was one of those exceptions.

The black and white stray was sitting in a rural animal control shelter for a week. It was not the kind of place any cat wants to find themselves in, especially when they have a broken leg and are pregnant. One of the organizations we work with often is Shelter Friend’s, Inc. When they learned of the cat in dire need of rescuing, they took her to Harvester Animal Clinic in St. Peters, Missouri.

After the vet examined Cloud, it was decided the only option, given the severity of the break and how long it had been broken, was to amputate her right front leg. There was some discussion about aborting the kittens at the same time. The vet techs argued that given what all Cloud had been through and the recovery period she had ahead of her, she should not be put in any additional pain. However, there was a chance the kittens would not survive the anesthesia that would be administer to their mom.

Cloud and her unborn babies came through the surgery just fine. Since there was no rescue that could take her at the time, partly because of the extra care she required, Cloud spent three weeks recovering at the clinic and waiting for the arrival of her babies. When SNUGGLE Pet Rescue heard about her, and how close she was to delivering, we agreed to take Cloud in case her recent surgery in anyway prevented her from taking care of her babies.

Before the very pregnant cat could be picked up, she gave birth at the end of June to two healthy baby girls and their brother. Cloud's carbon copy Zephyr, and his sisters Kismet and Rain are all doing great. And Cloud is an excellent mother. Not having a fourth leg has in no way hindered her from doing everything she is supposed to be doing as a new mom.

The subject of aborting unborn kittens can lead to some heated discussions. This is not the place to have them. SNUGGLE Pet Rescue looks at every situation we encounter separately, and we will always decide to do what is best for the kittens and or a mother.