Originally Posted by sunkistmi

Lyn, I know what you mean. I have only volunteered for 3 years but had never lost a kitten. I had gotten my first 3 little ones (their mother had been killed by a pack of dogs) on a Wednesday in September and had taken them up to my sister's cottage since they were being fed every 3 hours. On Sunday before we left, my son called and said he had found a kitten in the bushes at a Kmart. He is a senior at Western Michigan U. My DH said we could do "a little detour" and pick up the kitten from David, it only meant a 2 hour longer drive for us. Bless my husband's heart. He met us about 20 min from K-zoo and gave us this little box with the smallest kitten I have ever seen. She didn't have the umbilical cord so she was over 3 days old but only 2 oz. She was very vocal and a real fighter. She started eating really well and was gaining weight but then after 9 days just quit eating. She died the next day in my hand, knowing she was loved and wanted instead of abandoned in a bush. I was heartbroken and couldn't figure out what I had done wrong. I now know I didn't do anything but sometime it just happens. I think she had been alone quite awhile, especially she was covered with bugs too. Two days later, I got the little one that I am now babysitting for. Looking at her playing here in the family room, I can't imagine if she was out in the cold nowfg. She probably would not have survived this long, even if the mother had come back for her. It's a good feeling to know that you have made a difference in a life, that all my babies are in their (hopefully) forever home. I wish we could get some of our older kitties adopted out and out of the cages. I know that there is a home for every one of them, their new owners just have to walk thru the door of the Luv-A-Pet center. Some of them aren't 'cute' anymore but a bit more stately. They are past that stage of climbing up the drapes, well most of them anyways. I always say when I leave, "I hope I never see you again". Unfortunately, two of them have been there since April. They were two of my older fosters. I seem to be the last chance for some of them to get socialized, sort of a Cat Whisperer. I had those guys for 2 months, just trying to get them to trust a human. They had been bad traps and were very afraid of people. I am convinced that the younger they can be fostered, the better, even if that means taking them away from the mom. All of these kittens have been from feral moms. It breaks my heart to keep going in and seeing the older ones there. I guess I just need to be more patient.
Take care everyone! Have a happy new year.
Wendy