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Articles Tagged with: Kittens
It’s a…Kitten Shower!

Join us for a Kitten Shower Brunch at The Linden at Dedham, as we bring awareness to the needs of kittens and community cats, and rally support to help fragile babies. 

Register for this free event

A Kitten Shower is a special event to support the kittens and community cats and ensure the Animal Rescue League of Boston is ready for these little ones when they arrive.

There are approximately 700,000 community cats In Massachusetts. Community cats are friendly strays, feral, semi-feral or abandoned cats. They are incredibly resourceful and can be found in many places — under decks, porches, in woodpiles, window wells, anywhere where they can feel safe.

Each year, thousands of community cats are born struggling to survive in the harsh and unpredictable conditions of life outdoors. Kittens without proper shelter and care are at high risk for illness and injury.  

Rescuing newborn kittens from dangerous conditions is just the first step in a long journey. Once they arrive at our doors, they need intensive, round-the-clock care, including specialized veterinary treatment, expensive kitten formula, and other supplies to make them stable and comfortable.

This is your chance to help kittens get the chance they deserve at a safe and healthy life in a home.

Wishlist (new items, please):

  • Kitten Formula and Kitten Replacement Milk
  • Snuggle Safe pet beds
  • Kitten Baby Bottles including the Miracle Nipple
  • Canned wet cat food, pate style
  • Dry Cat Food for Mother and Baby cats
  • Fleece blankets
  • High-calorie nutritional gel for kittens
  • Toys
  • Digital Scales
  • Washcloths

Items may also be purchased from our Kitten Registry

Register for this free event


Do You Have Feral Cats In Your Neighborhood?

Help keep them safe by building a simple DIY cat shelter in your yard

A “feral” cat is defined as a cat that has had little or no human contact since birth. Many were initially former domestic cats that were either lost or abandoned. In many cases, these cats still depend on human caregivers for food and shelter.

Learn more about ARL’s Community Cat Program

Some feral cat colonies find shelter for themselves under sheds and uninhabited buildings. Living in these structures poses a risk for these cats because their safety is usually uncertain.

To help keep the feral cats in your neighborhood safe from the elements and potential predators, consider building your own shelter. DIY shelters are inexpensive and simple to build. Please keep in mind, there are many ways to build feral cat shelters.

Watch this video to learn how to build your own feral cat shelter:

 

 


Kittens Trapped in Chelsea Hair Salon, Saved!

Patience Pays Off in Kitten Rescue

Senior Rescue Technician, Bill Tanguay retrieving a kitten.

Senior Rescue Technician, Bill Tanguay retrieving a kitten.

About a month ago the ARL Boston Rescue Team received a call from a hair salon in Chelsea about some kittens that seemed to be stuck in their ceiling. The stylists could hear the sound of pitter-pattering above them as they worked.

Our rescue team went to the scene and from what they could see, it was clear that there were a lot of kittens stuck up there and this rescue would be no easy task. Rescue technicians were visiting the hair salon every few days to try to catch more kittens, this became a true team effort.

Brian O’Connor, Manager of Rescue Services at the ARL said “The most challenging part was that they were all stuck in a drop-ceiling in a business. so they were surrounded with wires.” The Chelsea fire department even came in with their infrared camera, but because of all the wires they couldn’t discern where the kittens actually were.

At one point it was clear that one of the kittens had actually ended up behind a wall and after receiving permission from the business owner, one of our rescue technicians cut a hole in the wall to retrieve the poor little guy.

The kitten who was rescued from inside the wall.

The kitten rescued from inside the wall.

One-by-one, all of the kittens were saved! Thank you to everyone at the hair salon for their patience as we helped get this little family out.

In total, seven kittens plus mom were rescued from the Chelsea hair salon. We’re happy to report that everyone is doing well. The kittens were brought to our Dedham shelter where they were placed in foster homes and the mom is currently in our Boston shelter undergoing evaluation.

Great work everyone!

Kitten number 6!

Kitten number 6!

Finally, kitten number 7!

Finally, kitten number 7! A little frightened and dirty, but okay!


Feline Focus: How to Choose the Right Companion Cat

Living in a multi-cat household can be extremely rewarding. Contrary to popular belief, cats are highly social creatures that benefit from feline companionship. Cats will often play together, groom each other, and give each other much-needed socialization. So if you’re considering adopting a new feline pal, here are some tips for finding the “purrfect” match:

A New Cat or a Companion Cat?

It is important to know the reason why you’re looking to adopt a new cat. Is the cat for you, or is it a friend for your resident cat? If the former, then the cats only have to tolerate each other and be able to share territory peacefully. If the latter, then you’re looking for a cat who will be interacting with and getting along with your resident cat. If that is the case, then whichever feline you choose must be a good match for your cat, with your own preferences coming in second.

Kitten or Adult?

Age isn’t so important. It’s often thought to be easier to integrate a kitten into a household simply because they are less threatening to a resident cat than an adult. However, there are plenty of adult cats who would make great companions, and because feline personality doesn’t begin to solidify until a cat is about 8 months old, it is easier to make a good match with an adult.

The most important thing is to match energy level/playfulness and personality. Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. How energetic is my cat? How often does he/she need to play?
  2. What type of play does my cat like? Is he/she very athletic, or more mellow during playtime?
  3. Is my cat outgoing or shy?
  4. Has my cat had previous experience living with or meeting other cats? How has he/she reacted?

For older, less playful cats, a kitten might not be the best choice. Kittens are in constant motion and might aggravate a mellower cat. A kitten might also not do well with an extremely active resident cat who could accidentally hurt a kitten during play.

Male or Female?

With spayed and neutered pets, certain pairings are easier, in general, to integrate. In order:

  • Male/Male companionship is the easiest
  • Male/Female is intermediate
  • Female/Female is more difficult

Female cats can sometimes be more territorial with each other than (neutered) male cats. However, there are always exceptions. There are female cats who come into the shelter who are wonderful with other cats, and there are males who refuse to like other cats, so always ask a staff member or volunteer about a particular cat you’re interested in!

At the Adoption Center

When you’re adopting a companion cat, it’s important to let a volunteer or staff person know about your resident feline. We’re happy to help you pick out the best match and we know our cats pretty well!

Making your home a multi-cat home can be a great experience, and can add enrichment and socialization for your resident cat. But for the best chance of success it’s important to make a good match.