Our organization’s goal is to return feral cats to their original location after they have been neutered or spayed (TNR). However, in special situations, we may resort to a rescue instead.
One such situation happened on University of the Pacific’s campus about one week before school started last August. From 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, SOKS’ volunteers set up traps to catch a cat mom, Bella, with her seven kittens. Once the whole family was together, they were taken from Stockton to Escalon and placed in a foster home.
I would like to share with you what happened during and after the rescue.
Why was it important to move Bella’s family from the campus?
SOKS usually cares for cats via TNR, but in the case of Bella and her kittens, we had to find a different solution. First of all, the kittens would have become a quick meal for foxes, raccoons, owls and hawks visiting the campus. Plus, because school was starting soon, it would not have been safe with so many people and cars around. Someone could have picked up a kitten separating it from its mom who was still nursing. So, we relocated them to provide a better future for all of them.
Why was it best to keep the family together?
Bella was still nursing so, with the combination of her milk for strong immunity and our canned and dry food for gaining weight, the kittens were getting the best possible care. To be ready for vaccines, Bella’s babies had to be more than two pounds. When we trapped them, the heaviest kitten was 1.6 lbs and the lightest one—1.1 lbs.
What happened once the family arrived in their foster home?
First, all the babies needed a bath because they were covered with dirt and fleas. Next, a topical flea treatment and dewormer were given to the entire family including Bella.
The foster caregiver monitors kittens’ weight daily, removes their poop and pee twice a day, and trims cats’ nails as needed. Once the kittens are at two pounds of weight, we administer vaccines for FVRCP every three weeks. We microchip them, too.
To care for Bella’s family, we also wanted to make them feel safe and comfortable. They got a cozy home in a spacious crate with soft blankets and toys—all that needs to be cleaned and washed quite often. Since the kittens were so young, they had to remain in quarantine for two-three weeks, so there was no contact with other cats. Their foster caregiver spends a lot of time with them helping them settle down, monitoring their health and getting them used to human presence.
What happens next?
Once they are ready to be adopted, kittens can remain with their foster for a few more months. It may take time to find a forever home!
SOKS take the cats to adoption events in Stockton, Tracy, Sacramento and Livermore. We upload their photos and descriptions online and introduce them on social media.
The whole process takes a lot of time, hard work, and expense! We would not be able to make it happen without our devoted volunteers and supporters. In a separate blog post, I will give you a detailed account of how much it has cost to save, neuter/spay, and foster Bella’s family.
Why do we do it?
We believe that everyone has a different gift and ability to help make the world around us better. Some help the homeless, some volunteer in hospice or hospital care or sponsor a child in need. SOKS and our volunteers care for feral and stray cats in Stockton.
We are blessed to meet people like the students and faculty at University of the Pacific. They cared for and fed Bella’s family even before SOKS got involved. Thank you!
I also want to thank everyone who came by and was kind to our volunteers when we were trapping Bella and her kittens all day long. Many of you asked questions and were curious about ways to help. Please visit Support Us page on our website and help SOKS make a difference in our community. Any monetary donations with “Bella” in the memo will go directly to the rescue.
