Marmalade, a mum cat with two kittens, was brought in as an emergency when they were found on the street in bad shape. Jam and Jelly, the four week old kittens, were the size and weight of two week old kittens. Mum Marmalade was skin and bones, full of flu and we weren’t sure how they had survived this long.

Marmalade was too ill to care for her babies, so they had to be hand reared, which was no small task. Tiny kittens who can barely breathe because they are so congested are not the easiest little creatures to get sustenance into. One of the vet nurses at our vets shared the task with a member of our cat team, and it looked like the kittens were doing well. Then little Jam took a downward turn and it was touch and go. Thanks to the skill and experience of our vet nurse, he pulled through. But just a few days later, his brother Jelly suddenly passed away. It was a rollercoaster week.

Meanwhile, Marmalade was getting lots of TLC from the cat team at the shelter, before moving on to a foster home. She settled in quickly and began to recover from her awful ordeal. She turned out to be very playful, very gentle and a real sweetie. Once she was well enough, she was neutered and then we started the search for her new home, which she moved into just a few weeks ago!

Little Jam is a little bigger, but still has a bit further to go before he can be adopted. Thanks to his fosterer and all of the care he received he is feeling oodles better and is a playful and happy kitten, as he should be.

The care for these cats was intensive and expensive, but they were worth it all. Overall, Marmalades vet bills alone cost £347.

Recovery Tails Christmas Campaign

This Christmas, please help to raise £10,000 to help us care for and heal cats like Marmalade, Jam, and Jelly and keep this crucial work going. Your support will help to pay for vet treatment, special foods and medication for all the cats and kittens who arrive in the Shelter sick and in need of a warm bed this winter.