Help me help these stray kittens!

June 23, 2023 11:42 AM

I'm on the East Coast of Corsica (Linguizzetta), and I found a hissing stray cat in an abandoned cabin. The cabin is on a parking lot and definitely not inhabited (by humans). There's debris everywhere and the door is bolted shut, but accessible (with difficulty) through an open bathroom window. Problem: I see two kittens through the window, and they don't look good. They're thin and scraggly orange kittens, able to walk and (from my limited cat experience) probably between 8 and 12 weeks old? I don't know how they're getting water. I've put some canned food down on the floor, but I don't know what else I can do. And: I'm leaving tomorrow :/

I think I need a cat rescue organizations, but I speak no French and I'm not sure how to approach this. I have kibble and more wet food I could give them. I guess I could use a rope to lower a bucket of water? But I don't think the mother or kittens are well, and they probably need veterinary care.

posted by toucan to Pets & Animals (5 answers total)

Are the kittens stuck? And maybe just momma is getting in and out?

In that scenario I' d wait til momma cat comes back and get the kittens out of the cabin. Momma cat is likely doing her best but if they are stuck then she is limited.

This is assuming you can't contact anyone local for help.
posted by aetg at 11:53 AM on June 23, 2023

Best answer: These people might be able to help, but they look like a sanctuary rather than a rescue. They could at least point you to the right agency though:

> https://www.fondationassistanceauxanimaux.org/contact/

You can use Google translate to outline the story, and perhaps the address.
posted by amtho at 12:23 PM on June 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

They have a location on Corsica, which is how I found them.
posted by amtho at 12:23 PM on June 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: @aetg Yes, the kittens can't leave the cabin. They'd have to do a 3 feet jump, and they definitely don't have that agility. I'm really worried that mom inadvertently brought them into a dangerous situation because there's no water in there.

@amtho Thanks so much, I wrote to them!
posted by toucan at 5:45 PM on June 24, 2023

Response by poster: Not sure if anyone is still following, but this story has a happy ending! Meet the fuzzy little guy Indigo. He, along with his three sisters, is being fed regular meals by a volunteer from the stellar organization "Les Petits Félins De Corse". As soon as his very shy mom can be trapped, they're all going to a foster family for medical care, rest, and recuperation. When the kittens are old enough, they can be adopted. The mother will likely be spayed and released in her old territory, because it's a safe area for a feral cat to live. It was tricky to find any local group willing to help, but I found great people in the end.

If anyone wants to contribute to make sure Indy and his family are okay, here's the PayPal Link.

(Hope it's okay to link to that.)
posted by toucan at 4:36 PM on July 9, 2023 [2 favorites]