Residents at an Oro Valley memory care center have been helping look after two stray kittens that were brought to the Pima County animal shelter two weeks ago.
As part of a new program, Pima Animal Care Center has partnered with residents at Catalina Springs Memory Care to provide bottle feeding and socialization for the kittens until theyâre old enough to be placed up for adoption, according to a news release from the county.
The kittens, Peaches and Turtle, were brought into PACC on Oct. 14, weighing only 7 ounces at the time.
Catalina Springsâ health service director, Rebecca Hamilton, who has been a longtime foster for homeless pets, went to the shelter to retrieve the kittens and advocated for the partnership.
Both PACC and Catalina Springsâ board quickly approved the program, as a way to save the kittens and enrich the care center residentâs lives, the news release said.
âTo some it may seem peculiar at first: Residents who are in need of around-the-clock care themselves, given the task to care for these young kittens,â said Catalina Springsâ executive director, Sharon Mercer. âBut there are skills, emotions and needs that do not just leave a person with dementia and Alzheimerâs. The desire to give love and receive love remains.â
Several residents bottle-fed the kittens on Wednesday, and will soon help transition them to kibble and soft food. Once the kittens reach 2 pounds, theyâll be returned to PACC for spay surgeries, vaccinations and microchips, before being placed up for adoption, the release said.
