The Long Night Of Escorting Baby Snowball To Path Over Rainbow Bridge

[catsknowme]

Tiny baby Snowball (4/29 - 5/7) went downhill so quickly... in less than 12 hours, he went from nursing and sleeping comfortably to restless & mewing to GONE. I did everything I knew to help him but he slipped away....he wasn't an orphan, the other 5 kittens with the mother cat seem to be doing well. This was so sudden - I have fostered orphan/abandoned feral kittens for years, lost some, raised many more....I am stunned, disappointed, shocked. During the last four hours, he responded well to the warmed, diluted Pedialyte and Karo syrup on the gums - he regained a strong suckle, was relaxed and silent again, sleeping on my chest, against a heated cornmeal sock...it was almost dawn, and I was thinking, "it will be daylight soon - we are almost there" but instead his tiny spirit raised to follow a different light to a certain crossroads and there our paths diverted...his pains ended, his little spirit is in a better place, and yet, I grieve....

 

[Antonio65]

It's such a tragedy when these little furballs can't even get to open their eyes to the world.
Was he the runt of the litter? Did he show any particular problem?
When they are so small they are very fragile and delicate, a change in the room temperature, too much or too little milk, the wrong type of milk if they are bottle fed, and so on, and they collapse in no time.
Nature is so wonderful yet so cruel. Mother cats give birth to so many kittens at a time because some of them won't make it and at least one should survive, this is the cruel rule.
I have been there, many years ago I was given a 3 days old orphan kitten to nurse. He was going better and better everyday, I was so happy and waiting for him to open his eyes, then, a week later all of a sudden he went downhill and the vet where I ran to at 11 pm on a Saturday night couldn't do anything
I hope there's a special nursing unit at the Rainbow Bridge, where these tiny innocent creatures are nursed by special mother cats and can grow adult.
RIP little kitten

 

[di and bob]

My heart goes out to you. Sometimes those sweet innocent babies cannot be saved no matter what you do, it is a tragedy that leaves a mark on the heart. You did all you could, and being there giving comfort during that long, dark night was a Godsend to such a tiny angel. I cry for his short time on this earth, I cry for the loss. I know you are hurting, This is a blow and can wrench your soul and break your heart. But you are such a savior to so many, I hope you can take comfort in knowing you were there when it counted, and that you have made so many others happy and content. Please know I'll keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, take care.......RIP sweet, sweet Snowball, you were loved and meant so much to the one who mourns your passing. You will never be forgotten sweetheart, send what comfort you can to dry the tears of the one who misses you so. Sweet dreams, little one, may you be kept warm and safe on the laps of the angels who welcome you to the Rainbow Bridge!

 

[Mia6]

I am so very sorry about Snowball. I think Antonio is right about a special nursing unit at the bridge.
I am certain his Lola is in charge of everything at the Bridge because of her high intelligence.

Sending thought and prayers your way.

Hugs,

Mia

 

[Antonio65]

Mia, you made me cry
Lola would have given you a headbutt for those words

 

[Joandlily]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It sound like you did everything you could for that sweet little angel. Lots of hugs

 

[meelasmom]

I can't help but hope that all our lost loved babies are all together right now. Meela lost a baby in January. I believe it was born deceased. She grieved over that for a few days. That was when we really bonded - over her loss. I am sure she is up there right now taking charge of that baby. She wanted to be a mom, though she was much too young. I miss her so, so much!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Rest you gentle, Snowball, dream you deep. Your little life was marked, and full of meaning.

 

[catsknowme]

Thank you all for your comforting responses...as a caregiver to 3 human people in my household, some days are challenging for me to muster through. I decided to splurge and buy some flowers, including white petunias, to plant in honor of little Snowball and the my yard-ferals who were massacred on March 31 by a mountain lion who tried hunting in my yard the next 10 days (it was the first cougar that would not run from me, was unafraid of the spotlight, multiple humans and can only be driven off by irritating, loud noises and a "face" drawn on a metal disk-sled)...so this is turning out to be a springtime of death and loss

 

[dorymb]

How horrible an experience that must have been with your feral cats. And now your little one. I am so sorry. There are so many unwanted kittens and cats in this world. Fostering kittens is a selfless act. You are a Florence Nightingale for them and you should be very proud of that.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And your yard-ferals on top of it! We have much to answer for, pushing our wildlife to the breaking point. I HATE that your yard cats paid the price for human idiocy.

 

[les26]

So sorry to hear about little Snowball, so sad but for some reason it was time to go to the next life already. Deb & I have talked multiple times about how cool it would be to have an all-white cat named "Snowball", don't know if that will ever happen...

He is fine now, sometimes these things just happen for reasons unknown, you did all you could for the little guy.

May your heart heal a bit more each day, God Bless......

 

[catsknowme]

So sorry to hear about little Snowball, so sad but for some reason it was time to go to the next life already. Deb & I have talked multiple times about how cool it would be to have an all-white cat named "Snowball", don't know if that will ever happen...

He is fine now, sometimes these things just happen for reasons unknown, you did all you could for the little guy.

May your heart heal a bit more each day, God Bless......

Thank you very much for the kind words...I cannot remember the last time that I had an all white kitty. It is difficult to see the tiny ones leave much too early but I realized the other day that it is about the anniversary of the death of my cousin's baby boy; I like to think that the precious baby up in Heaven has my little Snowball for his perfect kitten.

 

[zed xyzed]

poor little thing, It is so crushing when a little one is taken before their time

 

[les26]

Thank you very much for the kind words...I cannot remember the last time that I had an all white kitty. It is difficult to see the tiny ones leave much too early but I realized the other day that it is about the anniversary of the death of my cousin's baby boy; I like to think that the precious baby up in Heaven has my little Snowball for his perfect kitten.

You are probably correct. I remember when our first cat Smoke had a sudden heart attack and passed away at about 5 years old there was a young child locally that was killed at the same time, and Deb was comforted by the thought that she needed Smoke as a playmate. It does help a bit to know that....