Abandoned Kittens’ Tragic Death Highlights Issues with Irresponsible Breeding Programs

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This past summer, tragedy unfolded at the doorstep of Aldergrove Animal Clinic in Barrie, as a dozen kittens succumbed after being cruelly abandoned. The cause, as identified by officials, was an unfortunate combination of an upper respiratory infection and the feline distemper virus.

Among those left abandoned were 23 Ragdoll cats, sealed away in cardboard boxes on the clinic’s porch in the dwindling days of July. The assortment included four breeding adults and 19 vulnerable kittens, each found in a distressing condition; malnourished, underweight, and with a range of severe ailments, including stark eye complications.


Describing their predicaments, Dr. Virginia Cornell, the practicing veterinarian at Aldergrove Animal Clinic, elaborated, “All were tormented by severe conjunctivitis or diarrhea or a cruel combination of both. They were significantly ill and in desperate need of treatment.”

The emotional toll of this catastrophe was echoed in an update posted by Furry Friends Animal Shelter. The message articulated the profound grief felt by volunteers and fosters, stating, “There’s nothing we could write that would adequately express the depth of sorrow we are experiencing right now.”

While the surviving animals are showing signs of improvement, they are not yet out of danger. Among them is a breeding cat who arrived pregnant and has since given birth to a litter of five kittens. The echoing sentiment from the shelter was a resolute commitment to the animals’ ongoing care. “All we can do is to continue partnering with our veterinary colleagues, provide them with quality food, necessary medications, and supportive care, and shower them with as much love as we can muster,” the statement vowed.

Officials speculate that the cats were likely the discarded by-products of a breeding program for Ragdoll cats, a careless venture into irresponsible reproduction. Cornell points to this devastating incident as further evidence of the vital importance of spaying and neutering pets.

While the financial demands of caring for these felines were daunting, the shelter conveyed gratitude for the generosity of donations that had enabled them to meet the formidable veterinary expenses. The shelter resolved, “You have given these cats and kittens a fighting chance, and for that, we are deeply grateful. Please, keep these little ones in your thoughts and prayers, as we promise to keep fighting for them until the end.”