FROM HOPELESS TO HOPEFUL: Aggie's INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

And the dangers of rodenticides

TW: Animal death

Agapanthus's story started out a tragic one. He and his 4 siblings were found near their deceased mother and brought to HES. 10 days old and orphaned, their likelihood of survival was already bleak.

Neonatal kittens without their mother have up to 40% mortality rates, even with proper care from rescues and fosters. We do everything we can, but without mama cat's antibodies that kittens receive from nursing naturally, they are more susceptible to Fading Kitten Syndrome, birth defects, and infectious disease.

With odds already stacked against them, the little family was handed off to one of our most expert neonatal kitten fosters with fingers crossed for positive outcomes. At first, everything was going well - everyone had healthy appetites, latching onto the bottle like little champs. But a few days later, the foster reported back with horrific news: the kittens were showing signs of neurological defects, suspected from rat poison.

The fate of their mother became clear - she had eaten a rodent that had been poisoned. Before she passed, she had nursed her babies.

It appeared to be Bromethalin poisoning - a neurotoxin that attacks the central nervous system and causes brain swelling. Slowly the kittens lost use of their limbs and they began to have seizures. There is no cure, and rather than let them suffer a painful end, the heartbreaking but ultimately humane decision was made to help them over the Rainbow Bridge.

Except for one.

Agapanthus was not seemingly affected like his siblings. We held out hope that he would remain symptom-free, and the foster took him back home to continue extensive monitoring and round-the-clock care.

We are happy to report that today, baby Aggie is thriving! Thanks to our medical and foster team, he has made it out the other side a survivor.

Agapanthus is now 1 month old. He is still too little for adoption and is weaning off of the bottle, but after another month or so, he will be ready to find his forever home!

His Incredible Journey was made possible because he had people in his corner and was given every resource to give him a fighting chance. Aggie has been with 3 different neonatal foster parents who all have cared for him at different stages of his development. He is healthy, active, and we are so excited to see where is Incredible Journey takes him next.

Rodenticide poisoning is a common occurrence among cats - up to 64% of cats test positive for exposure to rodenticide, according to research by MDPI. The ASCPA consistently ranks rodenticides in the top ten most common toxins affecting pets. Though the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) reports that there are approximately 100 rodenticide-caused pet deaths a year, as shelter workers we know that number is exponentially higher for homeless animals that are constantly scavenging and hunting for food.

This tragedy isn't new to the world of rescue, but it IS preventable. First and foremost, spay and neuter is essential to curb the overpopulation of homeless and community cats. Secondly, ceasing of the use of rodent poisoning. If mice or rats are an issue, classic snap traps or live-release traps should be utilized instead to ONLY target the specific animals intended. Domestic cats aren't the only animals affected by unintentional rodenticide poisoning - any animal that eats rodents or the bait itself face the consequences, and lead to a painful end.

Society as a whole has to do better for the animals in our communities, both domestic and wildlife, to stop the cycle of meaningless fatality, and create a more humane world for the creatures we share this planet with.