Four kittens were found abandoned in a sealed box and taken to Branford Compassion Club for rehabilitation on Tuesday.
The small kittens, all about eight weeks old, were originally taken in by another animal shelter, but could not stay there because it had reached full capacity.
According to Katherine Deoss, the vice president at Branford Compassion Club, this is a common dilemma among animal shelters — especially in the summer.
The three female kittens, Coral, Marina and Squid, and the male Finn were treated by a veterinarian on Wednesday.
Deoss said they are lethargic, and Marina is having some difficulty walking steadily. The kittens will be closely monitored for the next several days.
Connecticut has experienced extreme heat these past few days, with temperatures pushing 100 degrees.
According to Deoss, this kind of weather can be detrimental to cats to kept outdoors as they are fragile, only weighing about two pounds.
“Once a cat, similar to a human, gets heat stroke, you can start to see issues with organ function… the cat or kitten is very likely to die if left exposed without treatment,” Deoss said.
Animal abandonment is illegal in Connecticut, but it is often difficult to find the people responsible, according to Deoss. Branford Compassion Club has not involved the police in this case.
“For overwhelmed rescues like ours, our top focus is ensuring the health and safety of the cats we rescue,” Deoss said.
With hydration and signs of increased energy, Deoss said these kittens will be healthy and ready for adoption in a couple of weeks.
Deoss advises anyone who comes across a cat showing signs of heatstroke or heat exhaustion to provide the animal with water and contact their local animal control.
