Starting off 2020 with a good news story about the lovely Ella, one of our rescue cats, seems appropriate enough. I had considered several other ideas, from baby animals in general to flower portraits taken during 2019, but settled on the story of Ella.
Ella was found at my husband’s place of work – a cable factory – in the salvage yard hidden behind some wooden cable drums, together with her two dead siblings. What had happened to their mother was never discovered. One of the workers brought Ella wrapped in a rag to my husband’s office, as he was known to be a go-to person for animal rescues. Ella was nearly dead, she was filthy and stank of the corpses of her dead siblings. She was about a week old and her eyes were still closed.
Dave (my husband) brought her home and we took her to the vet thinking euthanasia was the kindest option. The vet agreed that the kitten was dying, but said that she was dying of dehydration. If we could get the kitten successfully hydrated, then she would have a chance.
This is the first photo we took of Ella. By then she had been with us for over a week. We did not take any photos prior to this as we expected that she would die. But miraculously she didn’t
So the vet gave the kitten some fluid subcutaneously – not too much as otherwise the kitten might have gone into shock. She then set about cleaning the kitten’s black and sticky fur. The vet gave us a small syringe and some drip fluid – our instructions were to give the kitten 1 ml of drip fluid every 30 minutes for 12 hours. Thereafter, we could increase the amount and give her fluids every hour.
Fortunately, it was a Friday and we had the weekend to tend to the kitten and slowly she came back to life. We kept meticulous notes of the amount of fluid she took in and when, and also of the amount of urine she produced. Once she was hydrated we could start bottle-feeding her milk, little and often.
This is Ella on the mend – well enough to take milk from her little bottle and strong enough to suck
By Monday, the kitten was much stronger. A kind animal-loving friend agreed to look after the kitten during the day when we were at work. Strangely enough, Dave and I both suddenly went down with serious bronchitis. First one and then the other were booked off work. Both us needed to use a nebuliser as part of the treatment.
And so we were home very sick, but we were able to take turns feeding the kitten in between taking turns using the nebuliser. Slowly we got better, and so did she.
Ella on the mend. She is still looking frail and the crusty substances on her ears and face are disappearing. She is now able to sit and stand. During her first week with us her hind legs had been paralyzed, but as she grew stronger her mobility improved
With our previous hand-reared kitten, Nina, we had problems with the kitten formula milk giving her constipation. On the vet’s advice we swapped the feed to a mix of 50% canned evaporated milk and 50% water (boiled and cooled) and that solved the problem. With Ella being so touch-and-go, we only used the evaporated milk mixture and all went well. She got the hang of using the bottle eventually.
Kittens need to be able to suck and so regulate feeding themselves. At first it may be necessary to gently drip a drop or two of milk into the kitten’s mouth. It is critical not to squirt milk into the kitten’s mouth because it is very easy to get liquid into the tiny lungs, which can choke the kitten to death or lead to infection such as pneumonia. Kittens should not be held on their backs when being bottle fed as that too can lead to kittens aspirating fluid, in other words inhaling fluid into their airways.
Among the biggest dangers when bottle-feeding very young baby animals are constipation and/or diarrhoea. Both are equally dangerous. Mercifully, with Ella we avoided both.
Another complication when raising tiny kittens is that, without a mother cat to lick and wash the kitten’s tummy and genital area to stimulate urination and defecation, the human fulfilling the mothering role has to do this stimulation using damp cotton wool after every feed. If one does not do this correctly the kitten will block up and die. This process of stimulation is perhaps a more stressful aspect than getting the kitten to accept and suckle on the bottle.
Ella sleeping after a feed and having done her toileting. Clean and dry she can sleep comfortably. Like all babies, kittens need to sleep a lot
Ella at four weeks old starting to look like a normal kitten, and learning to explore and to play
Ella aged six weeks. At this age she acquired black pigmentation on either side of each nostril, however, these patches faded as suddenly as they appeared
Ella on a shelf outside the window, venturing outside into our enclosed cats’ garden
Ella on the window sill in the company of our other four cats. All of them are rescued feral cats
Ella with Nina, who was the first kitten we hand reared
Ella, at six months. I thought of her colouring as being pale tortoiseshell, but I have been informed that the correct terminology for the colour is “dilute tortoiseshell”
Ella stalking one of the other cats during a game
Ella with brothers Beewee and Ned and Nina the tabby
Ella snuggling with Beewee
Ella cuddled by Ned. Ned was a fantastic help as co-foster parent to several rescue kittens, washing them fastidiously and being an affectionate presence and role model
Ella, just over six months old, healthy and strong, completely overcoming her difficult start in life
Moving on, here Ella is four years old. As I took this photo I realised she was preparing to jump onto my shoulder
Ella and our cat Pip, also a rescued feral cat, became inseparable friends. This was after the brothers Ned and Beewee passed on within weeks of each other at the age of 18. The aging Pip also had health issues and Ella was his devoted companion
Ella at six in her prime years
Ella showing her true feline nature walking in our enclosed cats’ garden. So as to keep the cats safe, and to prevent them from hunting birds and other wildlife we have an enclosed garden that the cats have permanent access to from our bedroom window. For more on this enclosure and cats and a wildlife garden see here
Climbing a tree inside the enclosed garden
Ella looking after the aging Pip during the last months of his life
Ella was bereft for months after Pip’s death, often licking herself incessantly for comfort until patches of her fur came out. It took a year for her to find peace, and she has taken to licking us from time to time when she needs that kind of contact. She is now working at restoring a friendship with Nina. Our third and youngest cat Nougat, also hand-reared, is a complicated personality. He is mending his sometimes bullying ways and the three cats are now getting on quite well.
Ella today, aged 9. I meant to take a photo of her today during daylight hours but I forgot, so this was taken this evening in electric light and Ella is a bit startled by the focus light on the camera that beamed at her briefly. As I write this she has come up to my desk and is inviting me to play. She brings much cheerfulness and joy to our lives.
It is incredibly rewarding to give a home to a rescue cat. There are so many lovely and lovable unwanted kittens and cats at animal shelters, I strongly advocate anyone wanting a cat to give a home to a rescue kitten or cat. By doing this you give a cat a life, support the work of those selflessly working for animal welfare and gain an affectionate feline friend.
Posted by Carol
January 19, 2020 at 3:14 am
Aw…that’s just wonderful. She was so lucky to meet you, and it is clear from the pics that you feel lucky to have met her!🐈
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January 20, 2020 at 7:46 pm
Oh yes, it is a two-way thing 🙂
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January 16, 2020 at 5:16 pm
🙂
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January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm
Ella’s story needed to be told, and I needed to read it. Lovely in both word and picture, and especially so in sentiment. We give a rescue a loving, safe home, and they gift us with so much. The devotion you and your husband gave Ella, the devotion Ned and the other cats gave Ella, and the devotion Ella gives your household, both human and feline, is beautiful.
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January 15, 2020 at 8:09 pm
Thank you Cheryl. Devotion is an apt word, and it continues to flow back and forth.
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January 15, 2020 at 9:26 pm
Yes, present tense. Ella is. You are. Love is.
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January 12, 2020 at 6:32 am
Dear Carol, the joy of a feline friend is very, very special. Our Tigger was 20 when he finally passed on, and I still miss his wonderfully quirky character, lived up to his name! Love this post! xxx
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January 13, 2020 at 6:49 pm
Yes feline friends are indeed very special, and they retain their special places even after they have passed on. Your Tigger lived to a great age. Thanks Christeen.
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January 4, 2020 at 10:47 am
Hello Carol,
What a perfect way to start my 2020 as well.
Thank you for sharing the story of Ella. I can’t imagine the range of emotions you and your husband must have gone through till her health was stable. And how wonderful for her, that she came to your loving home. I am happy she has been thriving, and that she gives you many moments to smile. We hope you and your husband are having a great 2020 thus far 🙂
Best wishes,
Takami
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January 4, 2020 at 1:24 pm
Thanks Takami and you are right, we did go through emotional extremes seeing Ella through her up-and-down road to recovery. She is all the more special for that, as all hand-reared animals are I guess.
I still can’t really believe another year has begun! Hope all is going well for you and your husband too. Best from Carol
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January 3, 2020 at 11:06 am
What a heartwarming tale, perfect way to begin this new year. As a ‘cat person’ with two rescue cats I can appreciate the joy they bring. Ella, and all of your gorgeous felines, are a delight to see.
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January 3, 2020 at 7:16 pm
Thank you Sandra. Glad you are also fond of cats and enjoy your rescued friends. We have three cats currently, and two dogs. Life would be very empty without them.
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January 3, 2020 at 9:26 am
What a tale.
Marvelous. I showed my daughter as she loves tortoiseshell cats.
I wonder how many will recognise the allusion to the Ian Drury song in the title of your post?
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January 3, 2020 at 7:14 pm
Thanks Ark. I also have a soft spot for tortoiseshell cats. Ella is the first I have had since I was a kid.
So far Graham has mentioned the connection to the song. It was one of Ian Dury’s best I think. I wish I could remember more of the lyrics. For some reason the line “boiled beef and carrots” usually comes to mind first.
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January 3, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Well …. there’s always Google!
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January 4, 2020 at 1:07 pm
Oh yes, but even after revisiting the (very clever) lyrics via Google, after a short time what I mostly remember is “boiled beef and carrots” (and I don’t even eat beef!) 🙂
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January 3, 2020 at 8:54 am
What a charming story, and how very lucky she is to have such dedicated ‘parents’.
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January 3, 2020 at 7:07 pm
Thanks Margaret. Once one is entrusted with the well being of such a tiny fragile creature, one has no choice but to be dedicated. We are lucky and grateful that it all worked out.
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January 4, 2020 at 9:25 pm
Not half as grateful as she must be.
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January 5, 2020 at 11:21 am
🙂
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January 3, 2020 at 8:41 am
The start to Ella’s life is a remarkable story, thanks to your (plural) dedication.
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January 3, 2020 at 7:05 pm
Thanks Mariss. It is hard to believe that she is already 9 years old. She is still a kitten at heart 🙂
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January 3, 2020 at 8:17 am
What joy and love you’ve shared with your Ella story. She is so utterly beautiful and catlike. What a lucky break for this sweet feline to have you rescue her.
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January 3, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Thanks Gunta. A new year’s resolution of mine is to pay better attention to the reasons to be cheerful as an antidote to all that is decidedly uncheerful. We are lucky to have Ella, and she is lucky that the vet decided it was worth trying to save her and we were all lucky that it worked out 🙂
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January 4, 2020 at 2:47 am
I try to focus most of my attention on the good and the peaceful and beautiful. At least while we have any left on this planet. Squeeze every bit of joy out of life as much as we possibly can. The news today (hard to avoid altogether) does not bode well, but I cling to hope yet….
You and Ella and your husband seem to share a good amount of cheer. All so lucky to have each other. ❤
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January 4, 2020 at 1:12 pm
Yep, it is necessary to choose to try to be of good cheer I think. And to count one’s blessings.
Yep, the news today is not boding well at all. Hopefully cool heads will prevail …
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January 3, 2020 at 6:40 am
Such a heartwarming story and I loved the photos too, particularly the wee kitten sleeping in the blanket and the older cat poised to pounce. Look at those eyes!
I think giving a home to a shelter cat is the way to go. My last cat, Chairman Meow, was also a shelter cat, a ragdoll with the softest coat. He shed constantly and profusely but was a great character and a constant source of entertainment.
Oh, and your headline got my attention. A nod to Ian Dury and the Blockheads perhaps?
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January 3, 2020 at 7:01 pm
Thanks Graham. Chairman Meow is a witty name 🙂 We had friends with two ragdoll cats – they were an interesting mixture of being totally passive in many ways yet outrageously outgoing. Generally though I prefer ordinary moggies that have not been bred to extremes – such as being extremely fluffy.
And the headline is definitely a nod to Ian Dury and his amusingly droll song that I recall often.
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January 4, 2020 at 6:03 am
I’m with you on the moggies, but the ragdoll was what was at the shelter at the time and we ended up very glad to have him. He was a real character.
I hadn’t thought about Ian Dury in ages so was glad of the memory nudge.
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January 4, 2020 at 1:21 pm
I must just add that of course I am not suggesting in the slightest that only certain types of cats should be rescued! Lovely for you and Chairman Meow to have found each other.
Yes Ian Dury was very much of his time and I wonder how often his music (I remember he liked to call it Rockney) is played even on retro radio stations these days.
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January 5, 2020 at 6:58 am
I can’t remember the last time I heard his music on the radio, but then I don’t listen to the radio as much as I used to.
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January 5, 2020 at 11:34 am
Me too, in fact hardly ever …
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January 3, 2020 at 5:53 am
My first cat was a feral we had started feeding who gave birth to a litter of kittens in our garden. She dragged my hand to her hours old kittens and then snuck them into the house and under my bed and made me babysit and co parent, I was 14. 2 of her kittens went to great homes, her third kitten was bitten by a snake and died at about a year old. She lived with us for years before she too was lost to snake bite. Now my own cats (I have 4 at the moment) stay strictly indoors away from danger. My daughter volunteers at a Cat Shelter.
Thank you so much for this good news story I needed it after reading bad news elsewhere.
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January 3, 2020 at 6:55 pm
Your first cat sounds to have been a powerful character. I am so sorry about the loss of your cat companions to snake bite. It is safer to keep them indoors and many cats adapt well so long as they have enough attention, which I am sure your 4 more than do. How nice of your daughter to volunteer at a cat shelter, though it must be hard not to want to adopt more cats.
I think we all need all the good news we can find. Bad news gets all the attention – although of course often it should. I am so sorry and horrified by the news of the bush fires in Australia and I do hope that you are safe where you are in these heartbreaking circumstances.
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January 5, 2020 at 4:26 am
I fortunately live on the other side of Western Australia. Although I was born in Victoria and all our family there are not in the path of the fire, it is heartbreaking and terrifying. I try to avoid bad news as it doesn’t do any good being upset if you can’t help, but I have to keep an ear out for family news and to see if there is anything I can do to help.
The human tragedy is bad enough but the pets and wildlife. But on a good note Australians and particularly Australian firefighters pride themselves on humane care for animals so people will be doing what they can. There is a beautiful photo from a previous photo of a firefighter sharing his bottled water with a koala. All we can do is pray for them at the moment and be ready when its over to respond to their needs.
Thank you for caring.
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January 5, 2020 at 11:31 am
Thanks for your reply and it is good to know that you and your family are not in the path of the fires. As you say the fires are heartbreaking and terrifying for humans and the loss of human lives is tragic. The suffering and the extent of the loss of animals is hard to think about. It is heartening though that so many people are doing their utmost to help animals as well as people through the ongoing onslaught from the widespread fires. Take care.
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January 3, 2020 at 3:37 am
A heart-warming story indeed with a good message for the new year. We too have had the pleasure of homing abandoned cats. They are well worth the effort.
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January 3, 2020 at 6:49 pm
Absolutely – once you win their trust they respond with such affection.
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January 3, 2020 at 12:39 am
A wonderful rescue story, Carol. I admire your tending so many rescues despite the challenges involved. Hand rearing takes a lot of attention to detail!
I agree that shelter animals need us (and we need them, too) and make great pets. I’ve had many over the years, bonds and personalities that I will never forget, adding so much to my happiness and wellbeing.
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January 3, 2020 at 6:48 pm
Thanks Eliza. And I think that it is true that as much as we might help by taking in a rescue pet, in the end they help us far more.
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January 3, 2020 at 9:14 pm
They truly do.
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