By Sara Kitchin
The Widdle Kitten Club animal rescue service, owned and run by Kristen Sterner, provides kittens with the medical attention and resources they need to lead a happy life. Sterner fosters for St. Francis Society Animal Rescue, which provides medical care and food for the kittens.
Sterner began fostering after the loss of her first kitten due to a lack of availability of medical resources. Sterner was inspired to be certain that kittens could receive the medical attention and personal care needed to survive.
Widdle Kitten Club started as Sterner began fostering for St. Francis Society Animal Rescue two years ago. St. Francis Society Animal Rescue is a home-based foster, meaning that every kitten the Widdle Kitten Club takes in lives at Sterner’s house, where she is fully responsible for their care.
Widdle Kitten Club currently fosters 11 kittens. Four are adult cats, two are weaning kittens and five are neonatal kittens that are still being fully bottle-fed.
Widdle Kitten Club primarily fosters neonatal kittens because of the high risk they are often in at animal shelters. All kittens are microchipped, spayed or neutered and vetted before they are available for adoption.
“I would really love everyone to know the importance of spaying and neutering,” said Sterner. “Not only their companion animals but the community animals as well. We are in an overpopulation crisis. Shelters are overloaded and full, so companion animals are being euthanized for space. Rescues can’t save everyone.”
Widdle Kitten Club got its name from a kitten that was rescued from the euthanasia list at a local shelter. Sterner rescued this kitten, which has chronic upper respiratory issue, and named him Widdle.
Widdle developed this condition and a lip disfiguration from being tossed out of a car as a young kitten. Widdle Kitten Club helps to foster kittens like Widdle through rehabilitation.
“We as a community need to come together and never buy from breeders or pet shops,” said Sterner. “Always adopt from rescues and your local shelter.”
Fostered kittens are promoted for adoption by Widdle Kitten club. Pictures and further information about the kittens are accessible through Instagram @widdlekittenclub. Visit Widdle Kitten Club’s link tree for donations and facts at https://linktr.ee/widdlekittenclub.
