Stray Kittens

Life Animal Adoptions & Emergencies
#1

Where I go running is either a drop off point for stray kittens or the hill itself has a bunch of breeders. On two recent occasions recently I’ve run into piteously mewling kittens where the path hits the road and everyone parks. The first wasn’t so bad. I checked him/her out for a bit, debated whether to adopt and then decided no. I did go buy some milk pudding at the 711 and set it out.

The second was tonight. This poor little thing was just sitting there when my girlfriend and I pulled up. We took a closer look and saw that he had some sort of eye disease. Both were weeping and scabby and generally f!#$&^ up. We went for our walk debating what to do. She hates cats but was as convinced as I that we couldn’t just leave it there.

On our return the kitten had dissapeared. I assume/hope that one of the kind animal-loving Taiwanese (ha) we passed on our walk had decided to do something.

My real question is what to do when you discover an animal that needs help and you don’t want to take it home? I’m not planning to live in Taiwan much longer and don’t wish a pet.

Is there a place that one can take a sick animal? Is there an agency to call? How much does a vet cost? And then having paid the vet, what are the options?

#2

Unfortunately, there are no ‘agencies’. There’s the pound, but that’s death row.

There are only volunteers, who take care of stray kittens. Even Animals Taiwan (animalstaiwan.org) does not have the ‘manpower’ to take in kittens (so they call us :wink: ). Taking care of kittens can be extremely exhausting (small kittens need to be bottle-fed every 2 to 4 hours around the clock for weeks) and painful (when you lose one; the odds are not good when the kitten is very small), but those of us who stumble upon an abandoned kitten or a litter, and are not insensitive enough to leave them to rot in the streets really have no choice. :blush:
Of course, it is rewarding also, especially when the hunt for a home and lifelong family for the now ex-stray pays off.

If the kitten is large enough to feed itself on solid food, things are a bit easier. But a kitten that’s over say 10 weeks is often difficult to tame and henceforth nearly impossible to find a home for.

I’m sure your hill needs Catch-Neuter-Releasing, but it sounds like it’s a drop off zone also. Where is it?

If you come across a clearly abandoned kitten or kittens, meaning they are filthy and crying incessantly as they are hungry, pick it or them up and call me. Or take it to the vet yourself, and then call me. Vets here are cheap! For kittens I’d recommend Jia Ching on 218 Bade Road, sec. 4, 02 - 8787 9121. They are open every day and have a 24-hour emergency service.
Please keep in mind that I won’t always be able to say yes to a request to take care of a kitten, as I do have a job-and-a-half and generally about 15 animals in my care (and apartment) already. And please be prepared to take on some (if only financial) responsibility for the kitten yourself. PM me for my number.

Marjan (MO)

P.S. Oh, and instead of milk pudding, feed them canned cat food. Even 7-11 sells Whiskas!
P.P.S. If it’s a dog in serious distress you come across, call Sean at Animals Taiwan

#3

SOME vets will take in a stray kitten or puppy, put it in a cage in their office, and let customers know it’s up for adoption. So you can try asking local vets.

#4

True. But they need to be old enough to eat and pee and poop unaided. And even they (in the case of our vet) end up living with volunteers again, as adoptions are slow and life’s tough in a cage for a kitten…

#5

Hey Marjan, thanks for that response. I note also that over in the sister thread to this one there is a sticky on cats that includes information on stray kittens. And indeed one buried on the second page started by Miltownkid.

Cool. I’ve had other encounters with sick/stray animals before and been at a loss what to do. This will be of real help.