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Volunteers at the Halfway Home Pet Rescue (HHPR) are finding the days extra busy with the early start of kitten season and this includes the momma cats in residence. Josie, a white with tiger strip momma, stepped up to nurse four motherless kittens named Larry, Leo, LuLu and Lance (all orange and beige) after wearning a litter of her own kittens — Jack, Jim and Jake. “Hearing the babies cry was the only encouragement the young mother needed as she moved in on the orphaned litter, bathing them and encouraging them to start nursing,” said HHPR president Norma Milton. After another week or two of nursing the “L” litter, HHPR volunteers will ask Josie if she feels up to helping our Danielle, a gray and white mother of eight newborn kittens. Danielle is currently requiring around the clock supplemental syringe feedings to help her keep up with the milk demand created by four hungry kittens. Low-income families are encouraged to contact the Help Fix Me program at 1 800 367-1317 for assistance with spay/neuter. Unfortunately, young mother cats like Josie and Danielle often end up in shelters because of their pregnancy. HHPR officials are grateful that they can help as many animals as they do, but private funding is always much smaller than the demand. “Be responsible, spay and neuter,” Milton said. HHPR is located at 11 Pioneer Ave., Caribou. Mailing address: PO Box 488, website: www.halfwayhomepetrescue.org
