Friday, January 21, 2011

The Morning After

Apparently the trauma of neutering/spaying belongs only to the humans. Yesterday morning, bright and early, each kitten wandered innocently into the cat carriers I had put out, and I wickedly locked them in. Once the kids were locked away, I could feed hungry mama Millie.

The truck from the Toby Project was parked a block from the foster mother’s apartment. The vehicle is a portable clinic, and large cages containing feral cats were being loaded in when I arrived. I shivered for my kitties. They’re so little! Growling big cats were not going to keep them calm. The clinic was busy all day long and I went back for Wilbur and Chick at 3 pm. After a bit of a delay – there were a lot of females that day, and they take more time – I was able to go in and get my kitties back. A rather dazed feral cat looked at me from her cage. A jolly mixed breed dog happily greeted me from his – unfortunately I couldn’t bring him home with me. My kittens were handed to me in their carriers. They were awake, but groggy, and looked just fine. Each burrowed into the towels I’d stuffed into the carriers.

Once home, suddenly Wilbur was far from groggy and tried rather madly to open his own door. Silly animal. Chick was a lady about the whole thing and left her carrier in a genteel manner. Suddenly all was normal – they were prancing about, going to all their usual spots, as if they’d never been gone. Chick even rolled over and gave me her belly – all shaven with a small knitted incision.

Mama Millie, however, was not so happy to see them. Initially excited at their return, once she got a whiff, she started hissing at them.



So, morning after, they’ve eaten normally, no one has barfed, they’re as affectionate as ever, and the mama is still hissing. This too will pass. We’re good.

So, by the way, is the Toby Project (http://www.tobyproject.org/), which provides free and low-cost spaying and neutering in all five boroughs. Please help if you can.

~ Molly Matera, signing off. Time to shovel some snow.

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