As New England braces for another dangerous heatwave, cats and kittens left behind after their owner was unexpectedly placed in assisted living urgently need help.

The family had no idea their loved one had been caring for so many cats. When they discovered them, they immediately reached out for help because the house doesn’t have air conditioning. With the weather forecast, there was no time to wait.

So far, 16 cats and kittens have been brought to safety, including 14 tiny kittens, some just 10 days old. Among them are a nursing mother caring for her babies and another mom who is pregnant. Two adult cats escaped before they could be safely caught. Rescuers will continue returning to the property to bring them to safety and search for any other cats that may still be hiding. We are hoping to locate the other nursing mother(s), as the kittens range from 10 days to 5–6 weeks old and still need appropriate milk and care.

These little ones need us now.

The kittens need food, warmth, and around-the-clock care. The moms need nutritious meals, veterinary care, and a safe place to raise their babies. Before they’re ready for adoption, every cat and kitten will need vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, and plenty of love.

The cats and kittens will be placed in loving foster homes where they can grow, heal, and receive the care they need until they are old enough and healthy enough for adoption. Second Chance is always in need of compassionate adopters willing to open their homes to pets in crisis. To learn more or submit an application, please visit our website.

Rescues like this happen without warning, but thanks to compassionate supporters like you, we’re able to say “yes” when animals have nowhere else to turn.

Will you help give these cats and kittens, and pets like them, the second chance they deserve?

https://givebutter.com/emergency-rescue

JULY 2 UPDATE:

How adorable is this tiny kitten getting a much-needed bath to wash away fleas? 🥹

Here’s the latest on our emergency rescue. Our team has its hands full caring for these kittens, nursing moms, and a pregnant mama. We also have some good news! Late yesterday, two of the missing cats were safely brought to Second Chance. We’ll be sharing more about them soon.

If you submitted a foster application, thank you! At this time, have fosters for all of the cats and kittens from this rescue, but we are always looking for more fosters! Our foster coordinator will be in touch soon with next steps.

We’ve also been overwhelmed by the number of people interested in adopting these sweet little ones. Right now, our focus is helping them grow healthy and strong. Some are only days old, and some haven’t even been born yet! When they’re ready, we’ll be excited to help them find loving homes.

In the meantime, if you’re hoping to adopt, please consider one of the many wonderful cats and kittens who are already waiting for families:
https://www.secondchanceanimals.org/adoptable-cats/

Thank you for the incredible outpouring of support. Your generosity, kind words, and donations mean the world to us. We’re already nearly halfway to our fundraising goal, and every gift helps provide food, medical care, and everything these little ones need.