Kitten ICU’s First Graduate Paves Way for Others

The Kitten ICU (KICU) is about midway through its annual season, and this year has been a big success. More than 100 kittens have been treated in KICU since June, with many more to follow before the KICU closes this fall. Veterinary Technician Meghan Delaney and Veterinary Assistant Ceara Daigle oversee its operation, as well as a roster of 50 devoted volunteers who work three shifts daily tending to its tiny patients.

The kittens, most of them between 5-12 weeks of age, are being treated and healed. Some have started to go on to foster or adoptive homes.

The first of these is a longhaired tabby named Scrub-a-Dub, who was found at a dumpster next to a car wash (for which he was named). His rescuer brought him to Dakin, and he seemed healthy enough to go on the adoption floor. After three days, however, he wasn’t eating, he was lethargic, and had other issues. Scrub-a-Dub was placed in the KICU and received significant medical intervention for diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and muscle wasting. He received an abundance of care and love from the staff and volunteers working in KICU.

One KICU volunteer shared the following note with their team members, “Scrub-a-Dub is still pretty critical, but things are looking up! If you have time at the end of your shift, please spend some extra time with him – he really loves being petted and held, and the more positive human contact he has, the better he will feel.”

With focused medical care, Scrub-a-Dub began to rally. He started to gain some weight. He immediately started to purr when people approached him. After a few days, he was rolling over for belly rubs. Finally, he was medically cleared, but before he left the KICU, his “graduation” was captured in photos. Scrub-a-Dub returned to the adoption floor, and met his future family within the first couple of days.

According to Meghan, “The KICU volunteers have taken on their duties with dedication and enthusiasm. Their work is meaningful and you can tell how happy it makes them. The work we do makes me so proud. To go through the training and watch each volunteer develop their skills and confidence really makes my heart happy. They’re so gentle and caring, and they provide the treatment needed to save these kittens’ lives. It’s just so inspiring.”

The hard work and commitment to care shown by both our staff and volunteers have literally saved lives. As Meghan noted, “Without the KICU, many of these kittens would not have received the proper care and treatment to survive. Without access to food and shelter, a kitten can become severely dehydrated, emaciated, and become exposed to viruses and parasites.”

We salute them for their incredible work!