Dumped cats saved by students

JANELLE KIRKLAND | 10th March 2010

Dumped kittens don't usually get much of a chance at life but these three were the lucky ones, nursed back to health by a group of students learning about animal care.

Eastern Institute of Technology students looked after the trio and their mother as part of their 18-week National Certificate in Animal Care.

"We don't normally take them on, but we thought it would be a good project," animal care technology programme co-ordinator Jacinda Coulder said.

They weren't in a good state when they arrived, she said. With dumped cats there was a high incidence of health problems. "When mum doesn't have good nutrition, she doesn't have the energy and health to pass it on to her kittens, so they are quite susceptible to infectious diseases."

Students learned about kitten vaccinations, hygiene, feline reproduction, nutrition and how to wean them off their mother.

The school already has an animal house on-site with parrots, birds, rabbits, terrapins and mice, as well as a farm with sheep and cows.

The kittens won't be staying, though, and staff are on the lookout for good homes for them in about three weeks.

In the meantime, they have been given nicknames.

The ginger male who likes to climb and hunt the parrot has been named Griff (like Griffin's gingernut biscuits), the black female has been dubbed Two Spot for her colouring and the "fluff ball" female Bella because she drew blood, like Bella the vampire in Twilight.