A York vets came to the rescue of orphaned kittens who were found in a critical condition close to their mother’s body.
The two tiny strays were just two or three weeks old when they were discovered on farmland near York and taken to Tower Vets in Fulford Road in need of urgent care.
Squid weighed just 200 grams and was lifeless and floppy, triggering grave concerns for her survival.
Her sister Urchin was 300 grams with a temperature, and they were both suffering from sickness and diarrhoea.
Dangerously dehydrated, Squid was treated with anti-sickness medication and given fluids intravenously for 24 hours after which she started to improve.
Tower Vets’ veterinary nurse Megan Sutton volunteered to foster the pair, having previously hand reared eight other kittens – four of which she adopted – and closely monitored them.
Both Squid and Urchin, who received flea and worm treatment to clear a parasitic skin condition, have now recovered from their turbulent start thanks to Meg’s round-the-clock care and more checks at the practice.
Meg said: “They came home with me the day they were admitted, and I introduced them to my four cats. One of my girls is a mother hen and tried to get into their basket when she heard them crying.
“I bottle fed them every four hours, kept them warm and monitored them. It was touch and go for Squid during the first 24 hours which kept me awake.
“After further checks at Tower Vets, a bit of TLC and nursing, they picked up and were both back to good health within a few days. Now they are thriving.
“Urchin got her name because of her spiky-looking fur when she came in and she had that attitude to boot. Her sister had a squinty eye, so we stuck with the theme and called her Squinty Squid.
“Just the thought of these two being out in the cold and rain pulls at my heart strings and I just think if I’m in a position to help, when I have the skills, time and the space, then why not?”
The people who found the kittens asked for support from Band of Rescuers North Yorkshire whose volunteer foster carers rehabilitate abandoned, stray and neglected cats and kittens before they’re ready to find new homes.
The charity is covering all the veterinary and daily care costs for Squid and Urchin. Tower Vets will also vaccinate, microchip, and spay them, and provide any other necessary healthcare at a discounted cost – as it does for all of the charity’s cats.
Trustee Claire Welsh said: “We are very grateful to everyone at Tower who work exceptionally hard supporting us to give these cats a second chance when they have been previously let down.
“The team has been supporting our neutering schemes which is having a huge positive impact on the wider feline population and improving the lives of feral cats who are all too often forgotten.”