Man Rescues Kittens From Arctic Cold (get the tissues)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.wimp.com/kittensarctic/


During a long day at work, a man stumbled across a white styrofoam box that was almost buried in the snow. It was out in the wilderness, miles away from houses, and covered in branches. It's a miracle he even noticed it. What was inside the box broke his heart.
You can barely see the box here. It blends in with the snow.



Even close up, it just looks like a piece of garbage that might have blown in from the road.



When he looked inside the box, he saw this depressing scene for the first time: a freezing kitten, shivering next to its frozen food.



Behind the first kitten, another kitten huddled close to her brother.



It is even worse. They are sick. FULL story at link.

[shenmue]

1. Thank Ceiling Cat!

[marym625]

2. so glad he found them

How are people so cruel? I don't understand. And the food part makes it so confusing.

Just glad they'll be okay

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. A lot of people set those up with food as shelters for feral cats...

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how_to_feral_cat_winter_shelter

I am guessing someone put that out there as shelter for feral cats, which probably helped saved their little lives.

[herding cats]

7. Thanks for saying this.

That's exactly what it looked like to me too. They helped saved the life of these two by providing them the shelter and nutrition to stay alive.

Poor little kitties. At least these to have it better now.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. So glad someone found them.

[marym625]

10. meant to reply here

Thanks for this. Glad there are good people around

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. You're welcome.

[XemaSab]

29. TNR is so humane

n/t

[BrotherIvan]

5. I don't understand it either

Some people think that cats can survive in the wild, but they can't. People are always dumping cats and dogs and thinking they're not being cruel but they are. The rescuers did a very good did and those cats are beautiful. I hope they can find a home for them together.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. I am almost positive a good Samaritan put that out there as shelter for feral cats.

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how_to_feral_cat_winter_shelter

I am glad they had at least that.

[marym625]

8. That makes sense

Thank you

[BrotherIvan]

9. Maybe so

But I have a feral colony and any cat that shows any interest in humans or is a kitten gets adopted out as fast as possible. It was just too cold for those babies to survive. I'm glad someone took them inside.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. I don't think you understand what I'm saying... these are often left out in uninhabited

areas (all over the place here in Texas) where there aren't any humans. I'm sure this box wasn't made with these particular kittens in mind. They are set out empty, with food, and cats find them. While the link talks about making them for colonies, often they are left in all sorts of areas.

[BrotherIvan]

15. I get it

It's a good idea and the person was just trying to help. Sometimes it is so overwhelming the number of homeless animals and you can't take them all in. I'm glad they were found though and are safe.

[LisaL]

20. I think somebody dumped the kittens with the box.

Since the kitten purrs and doesn't seem to be afraid of human contact, those are not feral kittens.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. I don't. I have seen feral kittens (became owned by one myself)

who went from frightened to purring with a little human contact.

On edit: Merlin (who was often referenced here on DU back in the day) was a kitten born in the alley of a shop in Detroit. My FIL brought him home, spitting, screaming and clawing to us.

[LisaL]

22. So somebody set the box in the middle of nowhere, and the two kittens

just somehow ended up on the box. With no mother around.
Doesn't seem at all likely.
I think somebody dumped the box with the kittens in it in the middle of nowhere.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. Nope... we are all assuming here, yourself included.

What happens here where I live is that boxes are set out when the weather turns cold. A mother cat may have taken her kittens into the box and either succumbed to the elements or a predator or is still out there. We just don't know. I just know that those boxes are often set out as winter shelters, and I'm grateful they had at least that. End of story.

[freeplessinseattle]

33. That was my first thought, too. eom

[marym625]

14. In some areas they can

I hate to say unfortunately because I am glad they can survive. But it's unfortunate that people do this.

My uncle took in a dog that he found near his home in Kentucky. The poor dog had a collar on that must have been put on when he was a puppy. The collar was embedded deep in his skin and nearly killing him. Would have eventually.

[BrotherIvan]

16. It depends on if there is abundant small game and few natural hazards

A cat, unlike a dog, must eat every 24 hrs or there are health problems. And with predators like coyotes around, lots of cats are taken. If they are a house cat that has never lived outside, they are not able to take care of themselves. I live in a very mild climate and so the cats have a much better shot. But they live fairly short lives and are prone to being run over or eaten. Our ferals live under an abandoned house up the block os they have shelter. I make sure they get food and water every day though because we don't really have a lot for them to eat. Speaking of which, gotta go feed right now!

[marym625]

18. You're a good man

[BrotherIvan]

25. Thanks!

You obviously have a good heart too! Anybody who cares about pets is a winner in my book. Because there is no other reward than love. And that is the very best part.

[marym625]

31. Thank you

Wish I could afford one. I'm allergic to cats. Can't afford a dog. Oh well. One day

[BrotherIvan]

38. I'm sorry to hear that!

I hope your circumstances change so you can get a job. I'm in the same boat on that end and have been wanting a do so badly. But you are a supporter in spirit!

[marym625]

39. I'm sorry to hear that about you, as well

Sometimes, the cards just suck. Gotta throw a few away.

[Liberal_in_LA]

28. me too. pic of one of the cats after ordeal

[marym625]

30. such a pretty cat

Thanks for sharing!

[we can do it]

3. Hope the little honeys now have a warm safe home.

[sadoldgirl]

17. I am not so sure that this was

a helpful gesture for feral cats.

I cannot keep cats since I feed the birds, but tried
at one point to help some feral kitties to get them
at least into a shelter.

No way, they were running away or scratching me
quite seriously, until I had to trap them. Let me tell you
that was one of the hardest things I had to do.

Of course, this was inside a city, in the country it
may be different. Still, unless they are feeling
absolutely desperate feral cats will not like
the human touch.IMHO

[LisaL]

19. I don't think they were feral cats.

Looks like somebody dumped them there.

[Politicalboi]

23. I have an abandoned dog

There were 4 of them in the field behind me. A mama, daddy and their 2 Chihuahua puppies who were about a year old. I was able to catch the puppies and the shelter got them. The man said they went to Minnesota to be adopted out. None of them were fixed. And I have the adult male of the 2 that were hard to catch. I live in a mobile home park, and the both of them have been running through the park. I had been feeding them when they were in the field, and the male was more friendly and the female ran away. I hope some other sucker in the park has her by now. I have to take the male to the shelter tomorrow. I can't keep him. 3 cats already, and no fenced in yard.

[amandabeech]

26. You are doing the best thing that you can do under the circumstances.

The little guy may receive medical care and be fostered out. If he does well in foster care, he may be put up for adoption or may be included in a breed rescue program. You are giving him his best shot for a happy family life. You really, really did the right thing. You are a person with a warm heart, not a sucker!

[SheilaT]

27. While we can't know for certain if those cats

were dumped out there in that box, it strikes me as likely the were.

I cannot understand the mindset of anyone who would dump a cat, a dog, a kitten a puppy. All too often the excuse is that they don't want to take the animal to a shelter where they'll be killed. Aside from the fact there are no-kill shelters out there, a humane euthanization is a vastly better way to go than to starve, or freeze, or be killed by some other animal.

[blondie58]

32. God bless this man for caring!

Could have Been a totally different Story.
People Can be so ignorant. A big part of The Problem is that people don't have their animals fixed.

One Mama cat and her offspring will result in 500,000 more in just 7 years. And they can Get pregnant at Four months.
I am so glad that this Group got saved.

[Rochester]

34. Cuteness Overload!

[clm0805]

35. I'm so glad to read a happy cat story tonight

I just lost an abandoned newborn kitten I've had for a week a couple of hours ago. It's heartbreaking that these animals have to suffer because people either dump their cats off somewhere or just don't get them fixed. I rescued three others last year and they all made it but were older when I got them. I still have one more and I'm hoping she makes it.

[sinkingfeeling]

36. Looks like somebody was trying to help feral cats. The use of a

styrofoam box for shelter is a recommended thing. Also the fact that there was some food (although frozen) means somebody was attempting to help.

[ND-Dem]

37. ? What work did this guy do "in the middle of nowhere"in the snow? and if the

cats had been dumped "in the middle of nowhere," why is there still food in their dish?

[Bettie]

40. Poor babies

They look just like Fluff, our kitten. He and his sister were part of a litter a stray had in our shed last spring. He is almost a year old now and the biggest cat (and biggest baby) in our household.

So glad someone found and saved them.