What's Just One More Mouth to Feed

A difference between getting a few more hours of sleep or possibly none at all. As of today, one of our Foster Care Volunteers has 13 hungry kittens to feed, but the care does not end once the bottle is empty. In fact, the early morning process, for example, begins the moment a Foster Care Volunteer steps out of bed at 2 am.

First, they have to wake up. With formula to make it takes a fully functioning mind to be sure the right amount is measured and added to the measured warm water in the container used to mix the formula. Then the first bottle needs to be filled and the first baby fed. This is followed by stimulating the kitten, cleaning messy bums, administering any necessary supplements or medication, cleaning goopy eyes for some, replacing bedding with clean blankets, warming a woobie (our version of a hot water bottle) and tucking the baby into bed hopefully to have it fall right back to sleep, which does not always happen. Sometimes the kittens need to be topped off, so the bottle needs to be filled again, and part of the process repeated.

When there are kittens that require tube feeding, the Foster Care Volunteer needs to be 110% awake, even at 2 am. This is the most challenging and potentially life-threatening way to feed a kitten. For this reason, we warn people DON'T DO THIS AT HOME! There are just a couple of our Foster Care Volunteers who are experienced enough to tube feed. Even though they have been doing it for years, it still makes them nervous. This is good because it means they will continue to be extra cautious.

Beside the kittens on formula, there are the kittens who are on solid food that need to be tended to also. If they are eating wet food with formula poured over it, they need to be given a fresh dish which requires making more formula. For kittens eating solid food, their bowls need to be filled.

Imagine going through this entire feeding process when it entails feeding 13 babies. Our Foster Care Volunteers are beyond amazing for having the stamina and love for their fosters to do all of this every 3 to 4 hours, around the clock. And for them, there are no days off.

Included in this group of 13 kittens is Elizabeth who was found in a field and was taken to the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center. Then they once again contacted SNUGGLE Pet Rescue to raise this baby. Even though she is a preemie, Elizabeth is showing the signs of being a fighter.