What's With the Toes

In a post we shared earlier today we introduced you to our Polydactyl litter - Ernest, Hemmy and Tippy. It was their combined total of 66 toes that immediately got our attention after they arrived on November 4th.

Then there is the other toe litter. Izzy, Lilly and Posey did not have extra toes. Instead, their back feet as well as their tails had what initially looked like frostbite, but after a trip to our vet yesterday, it's looking more like they came in contact with a hot surface. At their appointment, all 3 kittens had their tails amputated out of a fear that if they were not immediately removed, they would become infected. Infections in kittens this small can be deadly serious so this was the right decision to make.

The kitten's toes were debrided at the same time. Debridement is a medical procedure that involves the removal of dead skin and foreign material from a wound. This process is essential for wounds that aren't healing properly, as it helps to reduce the risk of infection and promotes healing. The procedure is crucial for creating a clean and healthy wound bed, allowing healthy tissue to regenerate effectively. We are hoping the debridement was done in time for the kitten's toes to be saved but sadly it was too late for their tails.

Izzy, Lilly and Posey were found in Mascoutah, Illinois. A woman and her 3 children were coming out of the library when they spotted a group of children across the street standing in front of an abandoned house, watching something on the ground. Something told the woman she better go and investigate.

In the middle of the group were 3 kittens. When the concerned mom asked about them, she got the following explanation. "They came from under the stairs and they were getting too close to the road. We were afraid they were going to get run over so we were trying to stop them."

Thanking the children for doing the right thing, the kittens were picked up and taken to a friend of the woman's who had experience with orphaned animals. When she got them and saw something was wrong with the kitten's back feet and tail, she took them to a veterinary hospital. The care was going to be more than she could manage, so that was when SNUGGLE Pet Rescue was contacted.

When the 2-1/2-week-old kittens arrived at the home of one of our Foster Care volunteers, the woman and her 2 children stayed while the intake was done. Our volunteer did a great job of explaining what she was doing as well as providing general information about caring for kittens this young. The children are home schooled, so this turned out to be a valuable lesson for them. Our entire team jumps at any opportunity to educate, and this was another time we got to give young people information that we hope they will not forget.

Izzy, Lilly and Posey will be returning to the vet soon to see how their feet are doing. In the meantime, they are on antibiotics. Thankfully, all 3 kittens are great eaters, and they don't seem the least bit bothered by their feet. Not so sure they were happy about giving up their tails though.