These 2 tiny ginger babies were in a dire situation when “one of my mother’s co-workers heard noises coming from a kitchen trash bag and upon searching that squeaking bag of trash, found two newborn kittens inside a sealed ziploc bag.” – That’s what Cathy McCaughan expressed on her social media about Buttercup and Westley.
More info: Flickr | domesticpsychology.com | (h/t: thebestcatpage)
One day when Cathy was working, she received a call from her mother during working hours, she knew that it was something emergent and abnormal. Her mom needed these kittens to be help, so she was called Cathy and asked the driver to bring them to the office right away.
When they first saw Buttercup and Westley, “their wet fur made them look like just hatched chickens. I pulled the car over to check on them four times between the Oak Ridge trash collection office and my West Knoxville vet.”
Just because they were tiny and wimpy so she couldn’t feed them in a normal way, she took care of them gently not to get them frightened. “I stared at them when I fed them formula with a syringe because they were too weak to suckle.”
When the night came, instead of sleeping, she stared at those kitties and put the cat carrier containing them and bottles of hot water covered with socks, on her bed. And she started to cry..
“I cried from worry. I cried from sadness. I cried from sleep deprivation. The nights were not fun.”
A few days later, some positive signals are popping since Cathy knew how to stay calm and adjust kittens’ portion as well as the temperature. She was more confident about their prognosis.
“Then, the boy kitten’s eye started oozing. I didn’t know if this was the beginning of the end or if he was destined to be a pirate kitten. After several days of putting ointment ON his eyes, he perked up and the drainage stopped.”
We can obviously see how caring and patient she was, Buttercup and Westley kitties were well-fed, they got stronger which made Cathy less anxious.
“The kittens transitioned to bottles and started to resemble kittens. Kittens that fit in the palm of your hand.”
Another kitty in her house named Gimli came to give his human mom a high-paw like a big congratulation for Cathy’s effort.
As the end of her status, she exploded her feelings about Buttercup and Westley: “I started calling the kittens by names as though it was suddenly safe to become emotionally invested in them. That was silly. I could not be more emotionally attached. I love these furballs. I love them for fighting so hard when all of the odds were against them. I love the way they crawl to my face for kisses. I love the way my children nurture and care for the kittens. I love the tiny little thumps the kitten paws make when we put them on the wood floors for exercise. I love that my old German Shepherd allows the kittens to run for about ten minutes before she herds the kittens back to a person as if to say, ‘Play time is over. Naptime.’ Yes, she means HER nap, but it is still a wonderful thing to watch.”
Buttercup and Westley were healthily grown-up by Cathy’s loving hands. They got along so well with Gimli the kitty and another German Shepherd dog named Molly. Promising they are always protected by this sweet family.
We’re so happy to see how healthy and happy they are right now. Do you have any touching story from your own experience? It would be great if cat community has your contributions!
