AlleyCATS Alliance enlisted the help of professionals in the field of restoration and disaster cleanup last weekend when they had to enter a dilapidated structure full of asbestos to rescue a handful of kittens trapped inside the roof. Two concerned employees from Total Restoration in Penticton volunteered their time outside of work hours and came to their aide in full hazmat gear. They searched the house from top to bottom. In the end, traps were set for the elusive brood, and all of the kittens were rescued as well as their one-eyed mother.

Sparrow the one-eyed cat gave birth to a litter of kittens inside the roof of a dilapidated house in rural Oliver in early April. She would not bring them down from the roof and they were too small to jump. Sparrow spent countless hours over the next 10 weeks collecting food bits and taking them up to her babes. As summer came in like a lion, the roof became a hotspot, and concerned neighbor Joan Whiteman began to try and concoct a way to rescue the kittens from certain death. The situation became dire when Whiteman found out the building was slated for demolition within the next few weeks.

AlleyCATS President December van den Berg, seeing this was a delicate operation fraught with dangerous possibilities, called upon the most qualified people she could think of: Total Restoration in Penticton. Brent McLaughlin and Dale Senger jumped at the chance to help, and with the approval of their boss, attended the scene outside of work hours dressed in full hazmat gear. They searched every inch of the collapsing building but turned up nothing. In the end traps were set. Whiteman monitored the traps for several days and finally, after 3 days of hiding, the hungry kittens appeared and were caught!

“Raven, Starling, Dickie and Pipit are healthy and well and are currently in foster care where they are enjoying three square meals a day in an air-conditioned atmosphere. All will be spayed and neutered once they reach 2lbs weight and then they will be put up for adoption.” says van den Berg.

“Sparrow, on the other hand, had her eye examined and needs a rather expensive surgery to repair it. The cost of this surgery could be as high as $1000 so we are asking for public support in the form of cash donations to assist with the procedure.”