A BC SPCA animal protection office rescued seven kittens, about nine weeks old, from hazardous living conditions at an abandoned home in Fort St. James.
The rescue followed a complaint reporting a dozen cats living in the house, seemingly neglected and possibly abandoned, said Eileen Drever, the BC SPCA鈥檚 senior officer protection and stakeholder relations.
鈥淭he officer arrived to find one of the windows at the front of the house broken and glass was observed all over the deck,鈥� Drever said.
Through the window, the officer could see garbage and debris inside the home.
The officer鈥檚 presence quickly caught the attention of the kittens, with one jumping out of the window to greet her, followed by six others. A total of seven kittens jumped onto the glass-strewn deck, Drever said.
The kittens followed the officer to her vehicle, where she noticed some were drinking from a mud puddle in the driveway.
As rain began to fall, the kittens took shelter under the officer鈥檚 truck and nearby porch. With no food or water visible and the house located near a busy road, the officer took the kittens into BC SPCA care and transported them to the North Cariboo Animal Centre in Prince George. The officer also left food for any adult cats and posted a notice informing the owners of the kittens' rescue. The investigation is ongoing, Drever added.
Upon arrival at the animal centre, the kittens were found to be extremely dirty, infested with fleas and worms.
鈥淎fter they were given flea medication, it took staff at the centre two hours to comb out all the dead fleas from their fur,鈥� she said. They were also given deworming and parasite control medication.
Despite their rough start, the kittens are described as playful and healthy. 鈥淭hey eat ravenously and are very rambunctious,鈥� said Drever, adding, the kittens especially enjoy interacting with a cat named Vinny, who shared the isolation room with them.
After receiving treatment and completing their isolation period, the kittens were transported to the Tri Cities Animal Centre in Coquitlam through the BC SPCA鈥檚 Drive for Lives program. They are now available for adoption.
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