The Foster Files: Episode 1
Rachel the Calico Momma Gets Help!
Local hero Betsy had seen the young calico cat with the bulging belly coming around on her back porch. Since 97% of calicos are female, there was a good chance the cat was pregnant.
When an animal is in need, there are people who can look the other way. Luckily, there are others who cannot. But even if a person wants to help the animal, often they cannot do it alone. Betsy had tried calling shelters and rescues, and all were full. Still, she couldn’t get the pregnant kitty, who she named Rachel, out of her mind. She was growing concerned about the calico having her babies outdoors; She had seen a nightly parade of menacing racoons frequent her backyard. Each day her sense of urgency intensified.
Betsy had done her research. Cats have a gestation period of 65-67 days. She recalled that on Christmas Day, she had seen the Rachel in an altercation with a local Tom cat (lingo for an unneutered male). Betsy determined that if mating had occurred she was likely 52 days pregnant.
Betsy had to do something, so she decided to contact a local foster named Christa. It was a long shot; after all, if the shelters were full wouldn’t their fosters be full as well? But Christa is not the average foster nor the average human. Despite already having 3 foster cats; she agreed to make room for Rachel.
Betsy now had a foster for the pregnant cat; but the cat wasn’t letting her get close. Betsy knew she would have to trap the cat -- something she had never done. Undaunted, she borrowed a trap, got some tips from a few of Christa’s rescue friends and made a plan.
For two nights Rachel came by and tried every way to get at the food, but she wouldn’t go into the trap. Betsy had left the trap out as late as possible, pulling it only when the raccoons arrived to take the spoils. At nearly midnight, on the third night, Betsy was moments away from calling it a night when she heard the snap of the trap door. Excitedly she looked inside and there was Rachel wide-eyed and hungry.
The next step was to get the cat vetted by shelter staff. It’s difficult to know the disposition of a stray cat. Is it actually feral, which means it has had no contact with humans and is essentially wild? Or is it a lost, abandoned, or dumped cat that was once a pet? Cats in the latter situation can be quite traumatized and fearful of humans. This behavior can resolve quickly, or go on for days, weeks, months, and potentially years.
It’s easy to assume an unfriendly cat is feral, similarly that a feral cat may be a lost pet. Care must be taken for the safety of the humans and the animals involved. The same holds true for vetting cats before you bring them into your home. As an experienced foster, Christa requires that all cats who grace her doorstep are vaccinated, dewormed, cleared for ringworm, and evaluated by qualified staff.
First thing the next morning, Christa arranged for Betsy to take the calico to Pet Haven, where shelter staff cautiously evaluated her. A few hours later, she was tucked into her cushy new indoor digs, where she and her kittens would be warm, fed and safe from predators.
If Betsy could purr, I’m sure she would have. After weeks of worry, she finally rescued Rachel. But the story is far from over. Now 56 days into her pregnancy, the kittens could come at any time….
Finally, on day 65th day of her pregnancy, Rachel the calico cat became a momma to 6 kittens.
To be continued…
