Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Zombie Kitten Army


So I thought I better explain my title. 

I have been a foster kitten parent for a long, long time. I love it! I thought I had seen everything there was to see 
with raising abandoned kittens until I met her....She came in a box with her sister not more than 3 days old. The person that found them was not willing to care for them and decided to opt for euthanasia. In comes the inner crazy cat lady that I am. I nursed and cared for both babies for a few days. Unfortunately, despite all my efforts and the best veterinary care, one kitten passed away. The other kitten begins her own legend. Zombie Kitten. Shortly after her sisters passing Zombie Kitten began to fail to thrive. One morning I woke up for her feeding and as I picked her up she started to cry. I tried all her normal things, food, warmth, stimulation but in a few short minutes her breathing slowed. I felt her heart beat, very slowly, then it stopped. I panicked. I had been fostering kittens for years, I know that their mortality rate is extremely high. I felt so guilty for losing her sister that I began CPR. Of course I work at an emergency animal clinic but here with my dying kitten I was alone at home. All I was able to do wa
s apply Karo syrup to her gums, chest compressions, and breathe as poorly as it is into her tiny little face. Zombie Kitten was clinically dead. Then for reasons I still can't explain except for maybe the glucose of the syrup, I felt something hit my fingers in between chest compressions. I waited, and again it happened. Her heart beat came back very, very faint. Then stronger. Then she started to move. Within an hour she was almost back to normal. That was the first time Zombie Kitten died. Durning the next few days Zombie Kitten never left my side. I was still in shock at her recovery and so were all the veterinary professionals I work with.  She became the clinic mascot. Everyone took turns feeding and washing her, loving her when we had any available second. We still didn't give her a high chance for surviving as a single one week old kitten with no siblings or mother. Then Zombie Kitten failed again. Another morning, I felt her heartbeat stop in my hands. This time I thought "Well, it worked last time." And started CPR. Again Zombie kitten came back to life although not as strong as the first time. More time passed and  Zombie Kitten worried me every day that maybe I wouldn't have tomorrow to spend with her. I had a vacation planned and arranged with a very good friend to care for Zombie Kitten while I was away. I kissed her goodby
e and wished my friend luck. I did not think I would see her again. Zombie Kitten stayed with my friend going from the clinic we worked at together to the other she had as a second job. It was only two days later that Zombie Kitten died at her clinic. Doctors and technicians swirled around the tiny almost two week old kitten trying to revive her again. Miraculously, the little kitten survived again escaping deah for the third time. When she started nursing again, my friend took her picture. That picture still sits on her shelf today. Zombie Kitten made a full recovery after her last clinical death. No one we told would believe our story until they saw her themselves. She aged in numbers only. She did not grow. She was the size of a two-week old kitten at six weeks, she looked like a four week old kitten at three months old. But everyone that met her fell instantly in love. My friend especially. Zombie Kitten took four months to be ready physically for adoption. She was still very small for her age but she had a big personality. Taking her to the local cat shelter was not an option. I wanted to be able to see how she grew and to really know who was going to be her family. So when my good friend said she would adopt her I was ecstatic. I just saw Zombie Kitten a few days ago. She is now almost a year old, a beautiful, spun
ky, little white and grey tabby cat. She still holds my heart and reminds me to never give up. 
So when people say the zombie apocalypse is coming, I say it already has and she is wonderful.
 
That is the story of Zombie Kitten. The army part comes from my minions of fluffy little kittens that are taking over the world one house at a time. They will not stop until every face has been snuggled, every lap has been made warm, and every dog knows it's place. Don't fight the power of the kitten army, give in to the love. 

6 comments:

  1. Nice story. Reminds me of my little Slinky (who's sitting on my arm at the moment.) I found her in a barn -- mauled by coyotes. I picked her up to throw her away. I was that certain she was dead. She used her next-to-last ounce of energy to let me know she was hanging in there. That was 14 years ago, and counting.

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  2. Aww your story (and now Teddy's too) have me all emotional! My little Rosco almost died when I got him from the Humane Society, but he pulled through and is now a holy terror (currently trying to type his own comment!). Bless you for taking in fosters and caring so much for them! Now post some pictures of your zombie!

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  3. and now zombie kitten is a little monster, don't forget! my attacking, stealthy little roommate.

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  4. That's an incredible story! :O
    It's true that cats have 9 lives ^^

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  5. Aw, I love watching little kittens grow up from days old. I volunteer in an animal shelter and spend some of my summer bottle feeding kittens during the day.

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  6. Awww What an amazing story! That really touched my heart! Thank you for sharing, and as a fellow cat lover thanks for helping all those kitties!

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