On a cool Autumn morning, outside The Roanoker’s offices on Brambleton Avenue, our staff detected the rather desperate calls of an unknown number of kittens under the boardwalk off of our parking lot.
After quite a while of pathetic mewing and crying from the distressed felines, several members of our dedicated staff determined (after a lot of telephoning and even a call for help on Twitter, thanks @jzinn3 and @KeithFoster) the mother cat had abandoned her babies for whatever reason, and they needed rescuing.
The Roanoker ad coordinator Eryn Lester holds one of the tiny kittens just after it was pulled from under our boardwalk.
Three Leisure Publishing employees strained to reach the wee little babies. Their mother had deposited them in a very difficult spot to reach (naturally) under a section of stairs. The only access was a hole “just” big enough for either your arm, or head, but not both. After much craning and feeling around, kitten #1 was pulled free. He was rushed inside where our cadre of kitten-lovers began the process of warming it up and cooing over its cries.
Two Leisure employees remained. Our circulation manager and web strategist. Armed with a flashlight and zero fear of spiders, they braved the darkness and pulled kitten #2 out (later to be named Lee Pubbles).
The Roanoker advertising services manager Jenny Dorsey feeding a rescued kitten.
Day Two
We’re sad to report that the two wee kittens, although they received impeccable care from our staff and Angels of Assisi, didn’t survive being left in the cold for so long.
The first baby, who seemed the stronger of the two, passed away this morning.
Lee Pubbles also unfortunately didn’t make it.
We’re extremely grateful though to the staff of Angels of Assisi who provided a mother cat with a current litter to be his surrogate as well as life-support care to the second kitten. And also to the staff of Vets to Cats and Dr. Kimberly Jessup who selflessly provided kitten formula, formula dispensers and printed instructions to feed the babies right after their rescue.
Jenny and Eryn, so good to know that those kitties got to be held by you guys. It is a good thing you guys did, even if the little ones didnt make it. Sending lots of hugs!
Although a very sad ending, the loving (and courageous!) effort put forth was a heartwarming story. In my youth I tried to rescue a litter of abandoned kittens. I found them right away, and even promptly got a fairly willing nursing mother to help out. I stayed up all night as one by one they perished. It was heartbreaking, and I am sure you have all felt that terrible dissapointment. I do believe though that its possible the mother abandoned them because they were ill. May you find comfort in your heroic efforts. I am with Shannon, very good deed, and the kittens got to experience some living kindness during their short stay. The world needs more heros.
Mom couldnt have left her babies in a better place to spend their last days, in loving, caring arms. I am sure that was very upsetting to you all when they didnt make it but please know that you made those kittens feel very warm and loved the time they had left, because of you all they didnt have to spend it cold and alone.
Hug and kiss to ya
What a touching story and how very brave of the staff to go where no arachnophobe would dare! I am so sorry that the kittens didn’t survive but am touched to know that in this world where so much ugly exists there are people such as yourselves who will stop and give two little ones the opportunity to know love and tenderness before they died. Bless you.