The Unfolding Drama: A Rescue Mission’s Unexpected Twist
To say that the past few days have been tense for CatCuddles’ volunteers would be an understatement. You might recall our recent story about a rescue operation that took place just five minutes from the charity’s Abbey Wood base. A stray cat, now affectionately named Roselea, had given birth to two kittens beneath the decking of a vacant garden. Last week, after several long days spent diligently ‘staking out’ cat traps, and with the invaluable assistance of a kind couple living next door, our dedicated volunteer team successfully rounded up the entire feline family and brought them to safety. Or so we initially believed.
Only two kittens had ever been observed with Roselea, both by our volunteers and by the helpful neighbors assisting CatCuddles with the rescue. However, a significant detail emerged when the second kitten was finally caught: he was noticeably older than the first, clearly indicating he belonged to an earlier litter. This unexpected discovery planted niggling doubts in our minds – could there be three kittens after all? Two very young babies and one ‘teenage’ kitten? Yet, given that only two kittens had ever been sighted, we tried to reassure ourselves that we were simply being overly cautious. We asked the neighbors to continue monitoring the garden, just in case. A day or two passed without any sign of a third kitten, and the team began to relax, confident that we had indeed rescued the entire family. That sense of calm was shattered on Tuesday evening when the third kitten made his appearance, throwing us back into instant turmoil and anxiety.
The Desperate Search for Tolkien: A Race Against Time
The third kitten, like the first, was very young and incredibly vulnerable. Without his mum and siblings, he would undoubtedly struggle to survive on his own. Our volunteers were desperate to capture him and bring him to safety as quickly as possible. The stakes were incredibly high; failure to rescue him might have meant that the charity would have no choice but to neuter and return his mum, Roselea, who was already settled and happy at CatCuddles, eagerly awaiting a new life in an adoptive home. The thought of separating them permanently, especially given the young kitten’s precarious situation, was agonizing.
The next few days were stomach-churning. Traps were meticulously set up around the clock in the garden, but to our growing despair, there was no success. Hope began to wane, and things were starting to look truly desperate. Just when our anxiety reached its peak, a glimmer of relief washed over us: he was caught. We are so, so pleased to introduce you to little Tolkien, a very scared and clearly malnourished boy. He was greeted by some extremely relieved volunteers upon being rescued this afternoon, his small, trembling body a stark reminder of the ordeal he had just endured. His rescue was a testament to the unwavering dedication of our team and the sheer determination to leave no one behind.
A New Beginning: Hope and Healing for the Family
Tolkien’s family – Roselea and his two siblings – are currently at our North London clinic, receiving essential care including vaccinations and neutering. Tomorrow, a joyous reunion awaits as Tolkien will be reunited with them. For now, he is safe, warm, and well-fed in temporary foster care, being fussed over non-stop by loving hands. Soon, this terrifying ordeal will become a distant memory, and we pray that it will be a small price to pay for the loving, permanent family that he will one day find.
CatCuddles is currently facing an extremely tough financial period as we strive to get our North London clinic fully operational amidst the ongoing pandemic. It’s only through your generous donations that we can continue to carry out vital, hands-on rescue work like this, reaching vulnerable animals and providing them with a second chance at life. You are directly helping us to help them. Therefore, we earnestly ask you to consider donating towards Tolkien’s upkeep, which includes his health check, vaccination, flea treatments, worming, neutering, and microchipping. Alternatively, your donation could support the “next little Tolkien” who might stumble into one of our cat traps and into a new, better life. Please note that we will begin accepting adoption inquiries for this entire family in approximately 2-3 weeks, as our immediate priority is to ensure they are healthy, well-socialized, and fully settled before seeking their forever homes.
