Tears in my Coffee

I think that might be a country song, or is it Tears in my Beer.  Whatever.  It was a very sad day for me yesterday, and today is not much different.  

I've got two kittens in my possession, Violet and Ozzie, that are sick.  They have been lethargic and lifeless pretty much the entire weekend.  Violet started first, and then Ozzie.  They were both rescued by my foster Max who rescued their other two siblings and mother after reading about a neighbor needing help on an app called Nextdoor.  He asked if I could take them into my rescue if he got them.  So they were born indoors, but soon socialized and the other sibs were adopted out but I took them into my care because Max was going away and Violet was almost adopted. After observing them together however, I decided I wanted them to be adopted together so we've been waiting for that special family to come along to adopt them together.

George and Violet

Ozzie

Violet

These kittens have now cost me over $1000.  And that is just for a day's hospitalization - of course testing, meds, fluids, etc.!  I am now leaving shortly to bring Ozzie in to the vet to leave for the day to see if they can revive him the way they did with Violet - with fluids, steroids, etc., - as she now seems a little perkier this morning.  Money shouldn't be a factor in saving a life of an animal, but it DOES!  Not saying I won't continue to try, but I will also go on the recommendation of the vet.

The second thing that happened today was a call from the clinic saying they could not do surgeries on all four kittens dropped off by two adopters because they were under 3 pounds.  Not only did I feel bad for the clinic wasting those spots, but I was embarrassed to have to call the adopters to tell them to go back to get the kittens and we would reschedule.  To top that off, one of the kittens, Finch, turns out to be a girl where we thought he was a boy.

When I first got into rescue over 20 years ago - well, I wouldn't call it rescue - I was just feeding cats.  Then I started to rescue and TNR (trap neuter return) and then I became a 501c3.  It was very rewarding for me back then.  I rescued an average of 80 cats a year  (ALL ADULTS!) (last year it was over 110 (that included kittens)) throughout the past 15 years at least and either found them homes, had to euthanize due to illness, or found them barn situations.  I got them off the city streets.  I felt so good about it.

Now, I am tired and can't keep up anymore.  There were over 30 kittens in my rescue this year, and a handful of those died due to one thing or another. Its heartbreaking to watch a kitten suffer like that - kittens immune systems are so compromised.  Unfortunately, almost half of the kittens born outdoors die from disease.  And, if a cat born outdoors survives kittenhood, his average lifespan is less than two years of living on his own.

This beautiful boy above greets me each time I arrive at Fourth and Pennsylvania.  He follows me back to the car crying.  Anyone interested in foster or adoption?  He is very very sweet.

UPDATE
I just picked up Ozzie from the vet where they gave him more fluids.  His temp was at 103.6 when he got there this morning.  Violet's had soared to 106 yesterday.  She was on the brink.  today, she is a little better.  When Ozzie got out of the carrier he was as good as new.  Go figure.  They are both being watched, nothing I can do!  

Kittens.  Never again.

Sorry to be all over the place today, but this is just getting to me.

Have a nice day.

"Grow through what you go through."