One morning in May, whilst heading to work around 4am, a member of staff at Orange County Animal Services in Florida (USA) noticed a box placed near a rubbish bin. The box read "coconut water", as if it were simply a forgotten drink. As the man approached, he quickly realised it was something else entirely.
Inside, an entire litter of kittens had been abandoned. Fragile, thin and dehydrated, some were already suffering from respiratory and eye infections. For the volunteers, the shock was immense: the shelter welcomes stray animals without appointments, you simply need to come during opening hours. So why leave them outside like this, in the middle of the night?
Kittens saved in the nick of time
Taken in immediately, the kittens received medical care, appropriate food and all the attention they needed. Thanks to this care, their condition gradually improved and, once strong enough, they were able to join foster families to continue their recovery. In these homes, they proved to be playful and full of life, just like any healthy kitten.
But the story didn't end there. Barely a week later, shelter employees discovered an identical box in the same spot, this time containing yet another litter of kittens. For the teams, this was unfortunately not a surprise. The "kitten season" period, which runs from March to October, corresponds to when stray cats give birth en masse. The shelter then receives dozens of kittens daily, sometimes only a few days old, whose care requires considerable investment.
The vital role of foster families
In a message posted on Facebook, the organisation reminded everyone how essential foster families are. Without them, it would be impossible to manage such an influx of baby cats, often too young to survive without intensive bottle-feeding. Offering a temporary home, even for just a few weeks, can change their fate.
Fortunately, in the case of these two litters, families stepped up. The kittens were able to be cared for, cherished and, ultimately, adopted. Now, each of them enjoys a life full of love in their forever home.
