By Isabella @TheWandCarver
Instagram: @thewandcarver

Freya and Bastet after bath ~ photo by i.macy

No herbs or trees today, my friends. Since yesterday we have been on rescue detail for a couple of kittens born to one of our outdoor ferals, Pippa, a month ago. We thought she had had at least four or five in the beginning, purely speculation, mind. Turned out she had three – up til two days ago, anyway. She had moved them from under our house to the house next door but yesterday she was moving them back, sans the tiny tortoiseshell baby, sadly. So, my daughter and I knew we had to do something and quickly, or these may go the way of their tiny sister and our other outdoor feral mummy, Taxi’s two wee babies had gone. Death by flea infestation.

And I shall call her ‘Mini-Me’! ~ photo by i.macy

How did it come to this? It had been a frigid winter and Pippa’s mother’s last litter, born three weeks before Pippa’s and Taxi’s, were all healthy and bright. It never occurred to us that fleas so soon would be a problem. However, we did have an upsurge in temperatures lately which must have helped spawn the little devil’s minions – that and the proximity to the seaside means our soil is sandier than most people’s. Fleas seem to love sandy soils. Probably because they drain quickly and the little buggars don’t get bogged down as they would in rich, thick, moist soils. Needless to say, they had arrived, and we needed to do a fast rescue of the two remaining kittens.

That we have. So far, so good. We have de-fleaed the kittens and Pippa as well as we can until we can get flea drops for Pippa. We can’t use them on the babies because they are too young, and Pippa could lick the medication off them. Still, by virtue of her having a dose on herself, the babies will reap the benefits of that alone. The smallest girl, a tuxedo we named Bastet, is still a bit weak but now, without being drained of blood so much and her mother’s care, we hope she will be alright. Wee Freya, the little calico, is bright as a button and doing very well.

So, my apologies for not having something helpful to your practise here today but this is why. Say a little prayer to cat Goddess Bastet for them, please, particularly for her little namesake. I shall update you on our progress soon.

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings x