Its not all rainbows and cuddles and kittens

I didn't know I would invest so much time and energy in my first foster kittens. I didn't know they would steal a part of my heart. The truth is I am a practical person and not usually emotional. 

My mother cat gave birth to five kittens in the middle of the night. She chose to birth in bed with my son. No doubt a traumatic event for both cat kittens and human child. The runt didn't make it 24 hours. We tried. We failed. It was sad but hey thats nature.

Mother cat started out well. By 3 weeks she had had enough and in we stepped with formula bottles and determination by 6 weeks we had them introduced to solid food and named them. Naming them was a rookie mistake but hey they were living here and needed names to distinguish them however temporary those names might be. One got sick and we stepped in with medicine and extra love. He turned the corner. Then at 7 weeks there was a bout of diarrhea. We persevered  it cleared up. By 8 weeks we thought we were home and dry. Then Gizmo the smallest of the four had what can only be described as a fit. It all happened so fast and he died in my husbands arms. Tears were shed. Many many tears. The futility of it all. Then we lost another. More tears more heartbreak. Its been over a week now and the two remaining are going from strength to strength. We look at them and remember the ones we lost along the way and it hurts but without our care they would have all died we have to hold onto that.

This was posted by one of the foster carers Author Unknown. It sums it up perfectly.

For animal lovers like me, animal rescue is the most incredible, rewarding job... in the history of ever.

At the same time... it's also the most heartbreaking...
The truth is...
You see a lot of things... you never thought you'd see.
You witness a level of cruelty... you didn't think was possible.
You feel a degree of helplessness... you never thought you'd know.

You stare at painful images... soon burned into your memory... that will haunt your thoughts forever.
You try to pick up the pieces... so many pieces... of the damage you didn't do.
You do everything in your power... but even still... you'll never reach them all.

You'll try to stay strong... but you'll mostly feel weak.
You'll build walls to protect your heart... but they'll never keep you safe.
You'll place barriers around your soul... but the pain will always reach you.

And no matter how hard you try to fight it... over time... here's the truth about what happens in animal rescue...
The neglect changes you.
The abuse hardens you.
The suffering breaks you.

The ignorance angers you.
The indifference disturbs you.
The injustice destroys you.

On a daily basis... your faith will be tested.
Your heart will be wounded.
Your soul will be altered.

On a weekly basis... you'll question yourself.
You'll question your strength.
You'll question the world.
On a monthly basis... you'll fall down.
You'll get up.
You'll go on...

On a yearly basis... you'll look back...
You'll see faces...
You couldn't save them.

You'll learn to mourn.
To grieve.
To sob.

You'll learn to trust a little less.
To do a little more.
To fight a little harder.

You'll learn to try.
To hope.
To pray.

You'll learn to fail.
To succeed.
To accept.

You'll learn when to hold on.
When to give up.
When to let go.

You'll learn who you are.
What you stand for.
Why that matters.

Then... at times... you'll forget why you matter.
You'll question what you're doing.
You'll wonder if it's worth it.

But... here's the good news...

When you forget...
When you question...
When you wonder...

All you have to do...
Is take a look around...
And you'll see them.
You'll see their faces.
You'll see their smiles.
You'll feel their love.

In their eyes, you'll see their journeys...
You'll remember their beginnings...
You'll know how far they've come...

You'll remember when they didn't know you...
When they didn't trust you...
When they'd given up.

You'll remember how you healed them...
How you loved them...
How they loved you, too.

And as you look back...
You'll want to move forward...
For them... and because of them.

In your darkest hours, you'll look around...
To find the differences made... the hope given... and the lives saved...
Because you existed.

In those moments, when you look into their eyes... every doubt will be erased.
Every question will be answered.
Every worry will subside.

Because in that instant... in each of your hearts...
You both share the very same thought:
"Every bit of pain was worth it... for this moment here with you."
And honestly... no matter what else happens...
Those moments hold all the strength you need...
To keep going.

Rescue is pain.
Rescue is joy.
Rescue is worth it... because they are worth it.

And that's the honest truth."

Adult cats

So here a HVCH we are delighted to announce the new adult cat page.
A page dedicated to our adults needing homes.

All our adults are flea treated wormed microchipped and desexed.

Please head on over and check out the cats waiting for furever homes. You could just find your purrfect companion animal.

https://www.facebook.com/HVCHadultcats

The cat pictured is Muffin, a sweet girl, just under a year old. Muffin loved to smooch once she trusts you. Muffin is a lap cat, friendly and extremely affectionate, she meows for attention. Muffin is an indoor only cat as she doesn't like going outside at all. Muffins adoption fee is $50 she is desexed vaccinated microchipped wormed and flea treated call 0410272184 if you would like to meet her.

Newcastle Herald feature

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2059279/kitten-crisis-fills-shelters/?cs=12#slide=2
Check out the piece above In the Newcastle Herald Highlighting the problems this kitten season.