What to Do If You Hear a Meow?

I’m sitting on my deck, having a glass of ice water after work. My daughter says to me, ‘Mom, I hear something… ssh and listen!’ Little static cries can be heard from behind our woodshed. It’s a kitten!Springtime is when domesticated cats that live ferally are having their kittens. The Cowichan Valley is home to some feral cat colonies, and the queens (unspayed females) will soon be giving birth to litters of kittens.

We are lucky to have a local organization called The Cowichan Cat Rescue, a very knowledgeable group of volunteers in our area looking out for these feral cats. If you stumble across kittens this spring, the Cowichan Cat Rescue can be contacted via Facebook.

The Cowichan Cat Rescue takes kittens and places them in foster homes until they can be spayed or neutered and adopted out, giving these kittens a chance at a safe and happy life. It is important if you find kittens and plan on moving them to a safe location that they are kept warm. Be prepared before you move them by bringing a hot water bottle, towels and a box.

Kittens open their eyes at about ten days of age. If a kitten’s eyes are not yet open when they are found, they will need to be bottle fed. If you find a kitten and plan on keeping it, it is a very good idea to take it to a veterinarian to have it examined. Young kittens can become lethargic and dehydrated as they are covered in parasites. A load of fleas and lice on such a small body can cause anemia.

Once your kitten has been checked over and treated for endo and ectoparasites be sure to keep your new addition in the house until he or she is spayed or neutered. A female cat can become pregnant at a young age. Keeping these kittens indoors for the first few months of life can keep them safe from predators and other stray cats.

The kitten we found behind our shed luckily belonged to a neighbour. Kitty was out playing in their yard and had wandered a bit too far.

Written by Meghan Seal, Inventory Specialist