Buck and Joey came to OHS in need of critical care. At only three days old and with no mama to care for them, the tiny siblings had severe injuries that required immediate medical intervention.
Upon examination, the OHS medical team found nearly identical injuries to Buck and Joey’s left hind legs—one limb on each kitten was severely damaged, with a bit of bone protruding. The injuries were likely sustained during birth, and they were so severe that it was determined the best course of action would be to amputate each young kitten’s injured leg.
Adding more complexities to the already serious situation, Buck and Joey’s dangerously young age meant they would need to gain weight and strength before the vital surgery could begin. Until then, they would need a mountain of extra love and support—including around-the-clock bottle feedings.
Luckily for the brothers, an experienced OHS foster home was ready to take on the task of keeping these sweet kittens alive.
Each year, OHS foster volunteers provide an incredible 396,655 hours of service—giving animals the safety, love, and support they deserve. The generosity of OHS donors helps ensure these families have everything that they need—healthy food, formula, syringes, heating pads, litter, and more. Without these critical supplies and the willingness of fosters to open their homes and hearts, vulnerable animals like Buck and Joey would struggle to survive.
In their foster home, the kittens began to grow despite their painful injuries. Their caretaker diligently fed both kittens with a syringe and applied a warm compress to their injured legs multiple times a day, helping maintain comfort and keeping infection at bay.
After nearly a month of consistent care and loving support, Buck and Joey had gained weight and were both healthy enough to undergo amputation surgery. Today the kittens are happy, healthy, and safe with their foster-turned-family—the loving caretaker had formed such a strong bond with the little felines that she officially adopted them.
During kitten season, our medical team and foster department will help thousands of cats and kittens like Buck and Joey. Tiny, young, and vulnerable, these kittens all require a range of care before they are ready for adoption.
Find out how you can help support
cats and kittens during Kitten Season
This spring, more than 150 foster volunteers attended OHS’ annual Kitten Shower in preparation for kitten season–hosted at both our Portland and Salem campuses.
The Kitten Shower helped prepare OHS foster volunteers to care for kittens and included a live, hands-on demo on bottle feeding.
