No end in sight to Donegal kitten season this year - Animals in Need

There seems to be no end in sight to kitten season this year, with kittens still regularly being found around the County.

The kittens are arriving at Animals In Need (AIN) after being rescued from a variety of situations.

In the past week, two kittens were witnessed being dumped from a car in a remote area in Inishowen, a kitten was found stuck in a shop storeroom in Letterkenny, more were rescued when playing in the road in Ramelton and another kitten was abandoned at a Chapel, alongside his littermates. 

A little fluffy ginger kitten even handed himself in at Milford Garda Station, crying and starving hungry.

This little kitten handed himself into Milford Garda station

They are different ages, some are tame and very friendly while others are timid, but they all had one thing in common. They were sick and needed help. Several of the kittens have cat flu and others are skin and bone. One kitten was vomiting up plastic, which she had eaten in desperation as she was so hungry.

Two of the kittens, born to a feral life, were found chasing leaves and darting straight into the road before they were caught earlier this week. Perry and Pebbles were hungry and had cat flu but are now safe and getting the care they needed. 

There have been a number of feral mum cats turning up with just one or two kittens lately. Cats usually have far bigger litters so what was the fate of the other kittens? 

It is likely that the others have died, their lives snuffed out by adverse conditions, hunger or sickness at their very beginning. This is why neutering is so important, including pet male cats. After all, these kittens have dads. 

Homeless cats need us all to help them, so why not get involved in Trap/Neuter/Return in your community and help to stop the suffering

Sadly, a home offer for Demi and Orla, two one-eyed kittens, fell through. They are therefore still seeking an indoor home together as they are a bonded pair. If you can offer that home, please contact the cat helpline for further information.

AIN mainly deal with cat and dog rescues, but they do get called out to more unusual cases from time to time.

Last week they were contacted by a woman who found an injured fox hanging from a wire fence.

Unfortunately the outcome was not the one hoped for as the fox had damaged his leg to the extent that the broken bone was exposed and his leg would have had to be amputated, meaning he could never return to the wild.

A vet attended the scene and under the circumstances, the most humane thing to do was to euthanise the fox to end his suffering.

Tragically this tangled fox could not be saved 

Several dogs entered the Dogs Trust's Hub on Saturday last, the dogs either surrendered directly to AIN by their owners or rescued from the Letterkenny Pound.

Once the dogs go into the Hub and get their rabies vaccinations, they must spend three weeks in the Hub before they can travel to the various Dogs Trust sanctuaries in the U.K. Dogs will receive all the necessary vaccinations, be wormed and neutered if they have not been neutered already.

The Dogs Trust Hub will now pause until the 28th December for the Christmas holidays. 

AIN would like to say a huge thank you to the Dogs Trust for all their help in the rehoming of unwanted dogs in Donegal throughout the year. Without this support, AIN would not be able to save as many dogs.

Finally, the volunteers will be holding a collection in Supervalu, Donegal Town this Saturday, so please stop by. There is brand new merchandise on offer, including eco cups and pens. All proceeds go directly to the animals' care.

To help AIN’s animals, please donate €2 to AIN’s ‘Help Us To Help Them’ fundraising appeal via your phone by texting the word ‘KITTEN’ to 50300. Every last cent goes directly to the rescued animals for their food, bedding, vet bills, worming treatment and vaccinations. 

For further information on adoption, fostering, volunteering etc, please contact the main helpline on 087 1356188. For cat/kitten enquiries please call 087 7644420. Animals In Need Donegal is also on Facebook and has a website at http://www.animalsinneeddonegal.com.