03/26/2024
I've been doing cat rescue for over 10 years. Rescue work is HARD and I don't say that lightly. Despite the social media posts and reels of happy adoptions and cute kittens, rescue behind the scenes is a very different story. This is just a glimpse of things YOU will probably never see or experience:
- You will never experience the moment a kitten is gasping for their last breaths while you’re scrambling to pull Euthasol to help end their suffering. You don't have time to cry, get frantic, or lose your sh*t.
- You will never know what it's like to be at the emergency vet all night only to have your kitten die, wake up 3 hours later and be forced to function because there are many other lives counting on you. There's no time to cry or grieve properly.
- You will never have to make difficult decisions whether to spend thousands of dollars on one cat for a complicated surgery or to opt for euthanasia. Question “do I try to socialize these semi feral kittens to give them a chance at an adoptable indoor life or save the space for future 5-10 friendlies? Or do I take in this medical kitten who will be euthanized at the shelter?” You have to make these hard decisions every day.
- You will never have to wake up every 2 hours to bottle feed newborn kittens because someone decided to “rescue” them and brought them to you while mama cat was out trying to get food. Basically kidnapping them…But hey, they feel good because they “rescued them” and left you to do all the hard work, pay their medical bills, and spend every weekend at adoption events making sure they go to good homes.
- You will never see the cruel side of humanity where you witness animal abuse, kittens being thrown out of cars, cats taped up in boxes and dumped in the garbage, find half dead kittens in a shoe box left on the conveyor belt at your adoption pet store….and you are still expected to be a kind, polite, and a happy, normal human being.
- You will probably never have to give up your high paying corporate job because working a normal 8+ hour day and then coming home to do rescue “work” for another 8-10 hours is just not sustainable or healthy for anybody.
- You will never know what it's like to give up every weekend to “work” adoption fairs, miss family events, miss out on friendships and relationships, or have a social life. You'll never know what it feels like to sacrifice so much, give SO much, and feel SO underappreciated.
But I know all these things because this is what it's like to run a rescue.
People will say “why don't you have more cats for adoption?” or give an attitude because they weren't the selected adopter for the kitten of their choosing. People demand that I help them because “you're a rescue” and that I “should come to their house and remove these cats” or ask “why can't you help me with these kittens?” because I'm tired. I have limits. I am one person. That's what the Tri city shelter is for - but they will turn you away because even with staff and resources, they can't do it all.
If you are adopting from a rescue, if you're asking for rescue help, just read some of these things and please be kind. We are really doing our best. If you know a person in rescue, buy them a coffee, a snack, a drink- they most likely haven't eaten anything all day. Appreciate them in a way that will make their day a little bit easier. Everyday is a difficult day for us in rescue but kindness goes a long way. Like I said…rescue work is hard. Most people don't know or understand - but now you know… even if it's just a glimpse.
Written by Yurika Vu, Director Kitten Rescue 101
(Picture of my foster kitten in the oxygen chamber 3am last night at MedVet Emergency). Juvenile Lymphoma...she died.
