Parsley and Rosemary share a carrier on the way to their foster home.
We took 3-month-old kittens Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme into our foster program to help the city shelter with an outbreak of Panleukopenia — a highly-contagious viral infection, which puts every kitten housed in proximity at risk of euthanasia. These little ones had been at Oakland Animal Services in the same room as a kitten who developed symptoms and tested positive. The shelter was out of space, and without a safe place to isolate in, they’d be out of options.
“This doting foster immediately noticed Parsley wasn’t doing well when this spunky kitten’s energy crashed out of the blue.”
One of our trusted fosters stepped up to take these scared kittens in, and gently helped them build trust, while they waited out their 2-week quarantine. This doting foster immediately noticed Parsley wasn’t doing well when this spunky kitten's energy crashed out of the blue. Her breathing had become labored, and she had a fever. Close to midnight, they rushed her to an emergency vet, who gave her fluids, an antibiotic IV drip, and put her on oxygen overnight. Parsley was stable, but would need to be separated from her littermates while she recovered from a serious case of pneumonia.
Parsley eats a meat tube treat.
We offered to bring over supplies to help her foster with the new arrangement, but they had already proactively set up their home to keep all the kittens safely separate. We continued to monitor Parsley’s recovery with plenty of encouraging updates from her foster, who gave her all the medicine she needed — and we’re happy to report this little one is now back in good health!
When cats and kittens enter our care, we know that we have to do all we can to give them the best possible outcomes. Medical emergencies that put kittens like Parsley and Arroyo in grave danger can rack up thousands of dollars of vet bills in the blink of an eye — and we’re incredibly grateful that we can afford the cost, thanks to our generous supporters who believe that the chance at a long, healthy, and happy life is simply priceless.
Parsley and Thyme play with a cat dancer toy.