Kittens rescued after being thrown from moving vehicles

Regina Cat Rescue credits quick-thinking witnesses along Highway 11 with saving a kitten's life.

Volunteers at the rescue say the cat, nicknamed "Ewan", was tossed out of the window of a moving vehicle Saturday, just north of Regina. Witnesses to the incident were unable to obtain the licence plate of the vehicle speeding away.

"[Ewan] had mostly superficial injuries, scrapes and wounds, and he needed some stitches," said Alanna Whippler, a volunteer with Regina Cat Rescue.

She said the kitten has since been treated for a respiratory infection and ear mites, and is currently living in a foster home.

"He's very friendly and affectionate," she added.

Kittens tossed on highway near Carlyle

A second cat — nicknamed "Magda" — was turned in to volunteers with Regina Cat Rescue, after she and three littermates were discovered on a highway near the town of Carlyle. Magda is three weeks old, and was the only surviving kitten.

"She was pretty dirty," said Danielle Gauthier, Magda's foster mother, who described the kitten as spunky and loud. "She was pretty cold and a bit dehydrated and dirty, but she's pretty lucky she was found so quickly."

Whippler said shelters and animal rescues do see cases of cruelty on occasion, but these cases stand out.

"It was really quite upsetting," said Whippler. "It's hard knowing that people are willing to do that."

Pet owners urged to sterilize animals

"It seems to be happening more often I think partly because the overpopulation crisis is more pronounced this year," said Whippler. "All the shelters are overwhelmed. All the rescues are overwhelmed with higher populations than they had at this point last year."

Regina Cat Rescue urges pet owners to sterilize their cats, to avoid unwanted litters of kittens.

"We get cats and kittens in boxes, in dumpsters, in garbage bins, they're just dropped off on the side of the highway," said Whippler.

She suspected a third cat rescued a few weeks ago was also tossed onto a highway. The cat had a broken jaw, which soon became infected.

"She had some very severe injuries, partly because of the broken jaw, she wasn't able to eat so she was starved," said Whippler.

Volunteers with Regina Cat Rescue urge anyone who finds pets in distress to contact them, or to bring the animals to the Regina Humane Society.