GOOD FINDS
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BY LAURA CHRISTMAN
H AV E N H U M A N E S O C I E T Y ’ S KITTEN NURSERY
KITTENS ARE cute, but cuteness will only get you so far. An ittybitty kitty not old enough to eat on its own requires constant care. Abandoned kittens in the North State are getting a chance at life thanks to Haven Humane Society’s kitten nursery. The nursery, which opened in 2018 at Haven’s facilities on Eastside Road in Redding, provides around-the-clock feedings and lots of love. It saved 98 cats the year it opened and some 200 last year. Haven CEO Mark Storrey hopes to help even more in 2020. “There are not a whole lot of shelters that have 24-hour kitten nurseries,” he notes. A kitten nursery requires a dedicated space and a dedicated staff. The nursery, which takes up most of a new 1,200-square-foot building, supports nursing kittens and others not old enough to be adopted. Kate Musil is the kitten nursery coordinator. “I’m passionate about helping stray felines,” she says. “I’ve loved cats my whole life.” Kitten season, when Haven takes in lots of litters, goes from April into November. “Most of the time they have been dumped,” Storrey says. In the nursery, each litter gets a cubby – a plastic storage tote retrofitted with a ventilated top and outfitted with a heating pad, fleece blanket and stuffed toy. The easy-to-disinfect cubbies were made by Redding Girl Scout Troop 70117. The nursery has space for queens (mama cats) with litters, although most kittens brought to Haven come without a mother. “If you find kittens with no mom, wait,” Storrey advises. The mother cat may show up. And kittens with a mother have a much better shot at making it. Sometimes queens are willing to nurse kittens that aren’t theirs, Musil notes. But most kittens in the nursery are bottle-fed. Feedings are every two to three hours, including through the night. Hygiene is critical with the tiny, fragile kittens. “We gown up and glove up for every single litter,” Musil says. Staff and volunteers keep detailed records and closely monitor the kittens for health changes. It’s a lot of work, but rewarding, Musil says. “It is so satisfying to help the tiniest little baby … It’s the best. It’s giving them life,” she says. 4 continued on page 24
MAY 2020
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