This time of year has the capability of breaking my heart many times over. Because of my one website www.kitten-rescue.com I receive emails from all over the world from people finding orphaned kittens, or when the queen has fallen ill or died and the person now has to care for tiny, defenseless beings.

I truly wish I could help each individual that contacts me. I have an extensive list of other rescuers, but I know before contacting them the story is going to be the same- “there is no more room at the Inn.”

Last night, I turned down the fourth litter in a matter of days. It isn’t that I don’t want to help the local people. It’s that I have to keep the reality of helping in check. No one seems to realize (though I am not sure why) how much the price of rescue can be. I was talking with another rescuer about this- she mentioned I should put a chart here about what it costs to raise a tiny kitten to health- well, there is one flaw in that plan. Actually, there are several flaws. Not all the kittens are healthy when they are rescued. For example, Charlie was in such bad shape that by day three of him being in our lives we were over a thousand dollars in vet debt just on him!

I’m not complaining here- just trying to stay real. So for him, his care and boarding bill is overwhelming. But when, dear reader, you decide to accept into your home and your heart a bottle baby- here is the basic cost you are looking at. Here are the supplies you should have before even opening your heart to this young being:

Pet Heating Pad- essential to provide safe warmth to a small kitten- $29.95

Nursing Bottles- $1.30 apiece

Kitten Milk Replacer- you don’t use cow’s milk causes digestive prob. $12.49 depending on how big the litter is will depend on how long a can will last. But keep it in the frig and it lasts a good while. I freeze mine all year, buying in bulk when they go on sale and then using it during kitten season.

Kitty flea treatment- $36.50 Important to NOT flea treat without direct vet supervision if kitten is under 8 weeks old. You can have a professional tell you how to stop a bad parasite invasion but it has to be when the vet has seen the kitten and assessed the health. Remember that the chemical is poison and to much can do great harm to a small kitten.

Initial Vet Visit- $35.00

Dewormer (again only at the clinic) $12.00

Depending on the age of the kitten, you will need to pay for first vaccinations which can run anywhere from $54.00-$65.00

Other suppplies you may have on hand in your home are soft rags, bedding for the kitten, cotton pads for stimulation, safe kitty shampoo because not all kittens are clean eliminators.

Although in this set-up your kitten is still on the bottle, you don’t have to factor in kitten food, both canned and dry. Litter pans, food and water bowls, toys to keep the kitten stimulated.

What you can never put a price on is the time spent staying awake bottle feeding round the clock, how much you worry that the kitten isn’t going to make it despite all you are doing. How many cups of coffee you consume during this time frame and how many gray hairs suddenly appear on your head!

Before your kitten is weaned off the bottle- you will have spent hundreds of dollars toward her care. This applies to just one kitten and many of you will find yourself with more than one kitten to raise. If the kitten has other issues and needs bloodwork, earmite medicine, supportive fluids the cost can add up pretty quickly. That’s one of the reasons why I tried to find professionals to show me how to do most of this safely from home. When you deal with kittens during kitten season you can quickly find yourself overwhelmed not only in the number of kittens arriving, but at how fast your greenbacks are vanishing from your wallet.

I sometimes wonder why kittens are so easily disposed of in today’s society. Could it be because we refer to these tiny beings as a “litter?” We dump cat litter on a daily basis. Some motorists “litter” the highway with their trash. Yet, we take these wonderful, bundles of fur, fun and energy and refer to them as a “litter.” Does that perhaps mean that deep within our subconcious some believe they hold little value? Just something to think about as we begin a new day during kitten season.

I know before even opening my eyes that it is 6:30 a.m. The morning assault has begun. I hear the gurgling purr so much a part of Charlie first. He has decided that laying between my feet is a preferable spot for his orangeness. He also knows by now that Sinclair and Indiana (now almost 2.5 months old) attack my toes in the early morning hours. Socks offer little protection against their advances. My ankles and toes bear the reminders of these toe assassins. Kitty scratches don’t heal as quickly these days as they used to.

Everest is next. He jumps on top of my micro-bead pillow and my head squishes down until I am looking into his exquisite green eyes. I feel droplets of drool on my forehead. Since he arrived here at 2 weeks old (He is now almost three years old) He has drooled continuosly. Multiple vets tell me there is no problem, no gingivitis or stomitis (rare in young kittens anyway.) He drools because he is happy to see to me, happy to be alive. Happy to have been rescued. It is a morning shower with meaning.

Trump has been irritable lately and who can blame him. The last to arrive he takes these newest kittens with scorn. How dare they come here and claim our attention that was once his. In the mornings he battles with his brothers and sisters. They choose our bed as their launching pad and the kitty acrobatics gain a ten from the drowsy judges.

Jacks climbs on my chest and purrs in my face. He is such a sweet, golden baby. His eyes are ringed in white and there is an innocence in his look even when he is getting into mischief. Did he knock the perfume off the dresser? Did he leave the ping pong ball in my tennis shoe? Did he drop Charlie’s favorite toy in the litter pan? Nah- not our Jacks- his golden eyes deny any knowledge of any wrong-doing. He makes biscuits on my chest and closes his eyes….oh..if only I could join him.

I hear the dogs restless in their crates. The horses are banging on the gate, they too know that I am awake, somehow sensing in the animal universe that these alarm clocks with feet have once again done their job. Despite the fact that I will work at the shop late tonight and would benefit from any additional sleep- I cave to the desires of the crew and get up. Time to get the coffee going and the gang fed. Time to see what this new day will bring. Hubby has rolled over and started snoring- I guess if he could sleep through the earthquake of 1963, he can sleep through the actions of the kitty assault team- as for me, I am not so lucky!

The kittens have been listed in several places for over a week. Normally, I receive some interest and some hits on such cuteness, but not this time around. I believe that the scary downslide of the economy may be in play here. With rising gas costs $4.41 in town right now, food prices soaring, no one in this area wants to add another mouth to feed, even a feline mouth. I suspect that these latest additions will just become permanent members here. If that happens, I won’t be able to rescue another kitten or a cat for a very long time.

The reality is that doing this privately means a big chunk of our income goes for their care- food, litter, vet costs all adds up. I have to be realistic here and understand that I am at capacity right now. Even adding a small kitten will eventually add to the overall cost of this crowd.

I now have to factor in three neuters for cats and one spay, plus a neuter for Baron and dental work for the horses. Gosh it never ends, but I wouldn’t change a minute of it, even during hardships like Mike and I are experiencing currently. Their companionship in our lives means the world to both of us. They are all happy, healthy, sociable cats and kittens, wonderful with dogs and other cats and they make me smile daily. For me, that is priceless!

Back to the vet today as Indiana is still limping. This time, further diagnostic tests reveal that this kitten has an old hairline fracture! Not a recent one according to the vet- but one that is at least a month old. Because of the cost of the surgery coupled with the fact that Indiana is so young an operation isn’t in the cards. Instead, the hope is that as the growth plates in the leg develops the fracture will be absorbed. It isn’t the perfect solution- and if it backfires and gets worse then down the road the leg will have to be amputated. So we will just see what happens and that is all I can do.

I have a gal coming in tomorrow morning. She is interested in Tarzan. I am a bit hesitant as she is moving to Bend and that is quite a distance for a homecheck. I will just see how she responds to the cats and kittens here, check her references and check in with her vet. Mike wants to keep all the recent kittens, but I keep telling him we can’t. I know it sounds cliche, but if I kept them all, I couldn’t help anymore. As it is we are spending more on cat food, cat litter (the stuff I got for free the cats hate) and vet care. I have to get the numbers down and these cats and kittens deserve loving homes where they are the only cat or they share their space with maybe one or two others.

Everest is also still limping, but I can’t take him in right now. I just have to wait and see what happens with him as well.

The weather is nasty. Every time I think we just might get the garden planted the skies open up. The roofers are supposed to come next week and fix the roof- I hope so, I would be so happy to get rid of the leaks in the bedroom although the cats seem to be entertained chasing the drips.

Indiana’s fever finally broke last night. It was fluctuating wildly there for a few days and causing me great concern. He finally stopped limping this morning so the antibiotics are finally working. I still couldn’t find any bite wounds, but cat bites are hard to find unless they abcess- so it is possible that he got bit before he arrived here. At any rate, he is finally doing better and is moving among the other cats. I think he was getting tired of cage confinement- so it will be a welcome relief to turn the cage back over to Kodie.

I have today off and there is much to do. I better get busy-

I had to run Indiana to the vet’s today. He has a really swollen leg, paw and lymph nodes. I took his temperature last night when he started acting a bit off- it was 105.4! I took it again with a different digital thermometer thinking that one was way off- it wasn’t……still the same reading-
We stayed up all nights sharing alchohol rubs together and this morning as soon as the vet opened, we were there. His temp was 104 at the visit.

The vet suspects he got bit although there are no open wounds or hot spots- so he is on clinidrops and cage rest. Poor baby he trembled the entire time we were there. I finally wrapped him up in a towel and held him till he calmed down. I am just thankful it wasn’t a fracture. I was afraid he might have been stepped on by the dog and obtained a hairline fracture, but they suspect with the high temperture and swollen glands he is fighting an infection.

Why is this blog entry entitled Gas Pains? $4.09 for regular this morning! Holy smokes! I am wondering if I shouldn’t just start riding my horses again!

Kitten arrived this weekend, just a few months old. Found at the coast, huddled underneath pieces of an old shipwreck. Beautiful pale orange girl with no eyes and several abscesses. She is at the vet fighting for her life. My friends found her when they were beachcombing and because it was Sunday and they didn’t know of any emergency vets in the area, they beat feet to bring her here. I am calling her Magnolia and she really needs prayer. I won’t publish her photo until she is healthy as she is a sight right now. Let’s hope she has fight left in her. Vet says looks like she was attacked by dogs.

sadly, the kitty didn’t make it. She is now at peace and joined with others who have gone on before her.