Motherless Kittens: a Rainy Day Rescue!

“Motherless Kittens: a Rainy Day Rescue”

By

Sharon L. Cook

Jill Auld, foster mom for Friends of Beverly Animals (FOBA), was checking Facebook when she saw the posting. A Peabody woman claimed she’d been feeding a stray cat who’d been holed up underneath her Aborn Street house all winter. “The woman wanted to bring the young cat in,” Auld said, “but she has allergies.”

The plea couldn’t have come at a busier time. As a CPA, Auld was knee-deep in income taxes. Yet she feared for the homeless cat; the late-March weather had been particularly raw. Despite the cold and rain, Jill threw on her parka and loaded a trap into the back of her car.

Trapping is second nature to this New Jersey native. It started 25 years ago when she was picking her two daughters up from school. “Here was this litter of kittens lying in the gutter next to a pizza shop.” Auld returned with a trap and caught them. Later she got local veterinarians involved, raising money for the kittens’ care. When the Auld family moved to Maryland’s Montgomery County, Jill volunteered at the public shelter. As her trapping skills improved, she’s found more than cats in her traps. “I’ve caught a hissing opossum and an overweight raccoon. Both were very happy to leave without further incident.” She added, “The raccoon was much nicer than the opossum.”

Back at her Beverly home, having trapped the Peabody cat she named Minnie, Auld made a startling discovery—young Minnie was a nursing mother! Where were the hungry kittens?

Loading Minnie once again into the car, she headed back to Peabody, this time accompanied by daughter Camellia. The 27 year-old, a fashion designer for Talbots, had vacated her Manhattan apartment to work at home during the pandemic. Camellia was accustomed to various pets taking shelter at her family’s Trask Street home. Not long ago the Aulds took in two elderly dogs considered poor prospects for adoption. Blind, toothless and incontinent, the pair’s future was not bright. Thus it was a wonder to see, during FOBA’s holiday party, the furry twosome curled contentedly under the Auld’s Christmas tree.

Now searching for Minnie’s missing kittens, Jill and Camellia arrived back at the Peabody house in a cold, steady rain. Upon being released, Minnie disappeared into a hole in the foundation. After removing several loose bricks, they spotted, inside, furry little paws pummeling the air. It was time to go in, and Camellia volunteered. With only one foot of space all-around, she crawled on her belly in the cold mud and handed off four 3-week old kittens, one by one.

Today, basking in the warmth of the Aulds’ home, the newcomers are eating, playing and exploring their new digs. From the middle to the end of April, these healthy kittens, including mother Minnie, will be available for adoption. It’s a hard-luck story with a happy ending. Thanks to the Aulds and the Friends of Beverly Animals, a rosy future awaits this newest litter.

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Sharon L. Cook is VP of Friends of Beverly Animals (FOBA). For more information about the kittens, visit the website: FriendsofBeverlyAnimals.org,

Or: https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Beverly-Animals-FOBA-163446140333225

The kittens on Youtube: https://youtu.be/1s0QChGYSyI