Old Wethersfield Stray & Kitten Rescue

Old Wethersfield Stray & Kitten Rescue “OW Kitten Rescue” was formed in 2021 out of the grassroots efforts of friends & neighbors concerned about the feral cat population in Old Wethersfield.

In 2022, we organized as a 501(c)3 non-profit serving the needs of Wethersfield & bordering towns. Old Wethersfield Stray & Kitten Rescue was formed out of the grassroots efforts of friends & neighbors who were concerned about the feral cat population in Old Wethersfield, CT. We began our rescue efforts during the summer of 2021, when we noticed several kittens playing in an elderly neighbor's bac

k yard. As a result, we quickly recruited the efforts of family & friends and began the process of trapping 18 kittens along with neutering & releasing several female cats back to their original territories. These efforts were featured in an article by The Hartford Courant, "Old Wethersfield Community Comes Together To Rescue Stray Cats", published November 17th, 2021. Through this process, we were able to recruit several local residents who helped foster & socialize kittens while they waited to be adopted. We also secured the ongoing support from Double A Veterinary Hospital in Wethersfield, CT, where kittens receive initial wellness assessments and medical treatment for any illness common to feral kittens, as well as secured the ongoing support of Pieper Veterinary Hospital, Middletown, CT, who provide emergency vet care for feral/stray cats with serious injuries, Protectors of Animals, East Hartford, CT and Dakin Humane Society, Springfield, MA, who provide spay/neuter services for feral cats, who don't meet our adoption standards. With the proceeds of two successful Facebook fundraisers, we were able to raise enough money to cover most of the cat's daily care and medical expenses. As time went on, we soon realized that our efforts would need to continue and that ongoing management of the feral cat population in Wethersfield would need to be addressed, as our local resources were overwhelmed and underfunded. As word spread of our efforts, residents throughout Wethersfield began to reach out to us for support in managing other feral cat colonies in the town of Wethersfield... how could we say "no"! Armed with a list of local volunteers, a small stash of cat carriers and a few "Havahart Traps", we expanded our support to include the entire town of Wethersfield, CT and over the past two years, our team of volunteers has rescued over 500 kittens and TNR'd close to 100 feral cats! So, with your support, Old Wethersfield Stray & Kitten Rescue, now formally registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, will be able to continue its work and assist local residents with the trapping and neutering of feral cats as well as helping to coordinate the care and adoption of feral kittens. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these animals as well as help reduce the impact feral cat colonies have on our local wildlife. Melinda Robidoux
Old Wethersfield Stray & Kitten Rescue

Due to recent media coverage our rescue has received a tremendous number of applications for adoption. As a result, we w...
05/31/2026

Due to recent media coverage our rescue has received a tremendous number of applications for adoption. As a result, we wanted to take a moment to review our adoption application process with the public and set expectations for Prospective Adopters.

1. Our rescue is run by a dedicated yet small group of volunteers, who do their best to reach out to applicants in a timely fashion.

2. We generally carry a waitlist of adoption applications, and work on a “first come first” serve basis.

3. We prioritize applicants based on whether the prospective adopter wants to adopt 1 or 2 kittens. (Giving preference to adopters who are looking to adopt kittens in pairs or who are looking to adopt a cat as a companion pet for an existing cat).

4. Not everyone who completes an adoption application will be selected for adoption. Some applications may be “passed” because the applicant doesn’t meet our current eligibility requirements.

5. Applicants that rent, will need to provide evidence that their landlord allows tenants to have pets.

6. Sometimes we receive multiple applications for the same cat or kitten and we do our best to pair the cat with the most appropriate family based on the cats personality/temperament and the activity level of the adoptive family as well as what other pets are in the home.

Our ultimate goal is to place cats & kittens with the “PURRFECT” home to ensure the adoption is a complete success and that the adoptive family is committed to keeping the cat for the duration of its life. Promoting and supporting lifelong pet ownership.

If any of our prospective adopters has additional questions or concerns, please feel free to send inquiries or comments to: [email protected]

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our community cats.💛✨

✨ A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away… three adorable little nuggets arrived at rescue! ✨Meet Han, Leia, and Luk...
05/29/2026

✨ A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away… three adorable little nuggets arrived at rescue! ✨

Meet Han, Leia, and Luke (10-12 weeks old)— a sweet trio rescued from Newington and lovingly being fostered by Melissa. These tiny Star Wars babies will be heading to the vet next week for their wellness exams and will soon be ready to find their forever families! 🌟

One of the cutest things about this crew? They are the quietest kittens ever… they don’t seem to know how to meow yet (or maybe they’re communicating through the Force 😉). But the second a string toy comes out, all fears are forgotten and playtime begins!

🖤 Han (Male, black)
The brave one of the bunch! Han is adventurous, playful, and always ready to explore.

🤎 Leia (Female, tabby)
The protector of the group. Sweet Leia has been seen running over to comfort her siblings by gently placing her paw on them. She’s also an expert at finding the coziest snuggle spots and is usually curled up with Luke.

🧡 Luke (Male, orange)
A shy little sweetheart who finds comfort snuggling beside Leia. He’s still learning that humans can be trusted, but we know his personality will blossom with love and patience.

If interested in adopting any of these baby Jedi kittens, please fill out an adoption application and our Adoption Manager will get back to you!

While many of us were celebrating the long weekend with friends and family, Tom Marotto spent his weekend working with m...
05/27/2026

While many of us were celebrating the long weekend with friends and family, Tom Marotto spent his weekend working with members of the community to rescue animals in need. In one instance, he was called to help two 4 week old kittens that were found abandoned on the side of the road in Rocky Hill by a couple of good samaritans.

As hard as it may seem, these situations happen more often than we care to admit. Despite the heavy rains, these kittens were found in surprisingly good condition with no physical injuries or medical concerns.

Recognizing that there must be a momma somewhere and possibly more kittens, Tom went back to the area where the kittens were found hoping to locate momma and to confirm no other kittens were in the area.

Sadly, no other cats were found… just these two VERY lucky babies.

So in honor of our local ACOs whose dedication and commitment often go unnoticed, please join us in thanking Tom for his service to community and these adorable kittens!

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with  in Wethersfield!As a rescue it has been tremendously difficult to ...
05/23/2026

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with in Wethersfield!

As a rescue it has been tremendously difficult to find veterinary providers willing to work with us. Why? Because rescues require discounted services and a flexible payment plan and with the increased cost of veterinary care, most providers aren’t able accommodate our needs.

As a result, we are tremendously grateful to our current providers: Double A Vet in Wethersfield, Pieper Vet in Middletown, VCA animal hospital in West Hartford and POA spay in East Hartford who have stuck by our side over the past five years and celebrate our new relationship with !!

Yesterday kicked off our first wellness exam for Paddy & Shamrock and the staff were amazing to work with and clearly taken in by our sweet little boys!

A huge thank you goes out to Dr. Asher and his team for stepping up to support our rescue efforts💛✨

Meet Salt 🧂🤍This tiny girl is stealing hearts one wobbly step at a time. Salt is a beautiful medium-haired white kitten ...
05/22/2026

Meet Salt 🧂🤍

This tiny girl is stealing hearts one wobbly step at a time. Salt is a beautiful medium-haired white kitten with soft, subtle tabby “points” and is every bit as sweet as she looks.

Salt’s days are filled with zooming through her tunnel, exploring her little world, and logging some serious nap hours. She is playful and curious, but also incredibly gentle and loving. She will stop mid-adventure just to lick your hand or boop your nose with hers.

Salt is a special needs kitten, and that is exactly what makes her so special. She has a little extra wobble in her step, as she’s been diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia AKA “Wobbly Syndrome” which is a birth defect that causes her to appear drunk and a little unstable. While it’s a permanent condition it won’t get worse, so Salt should live out her life completely unaware of her limitations. While in foster care, we’ve also noted she has impaired vision and can get easily startled in loud or unpredictable situations. Despite this, our little girl has done tremendously well with her foster-mom Natalie and has found great success eating from a raised food bowl and snuggling with the company of her “cuddle buddy” in a large playpen until she becomes fully aware of her surroundings and gains confidence of the landscape of her home.

If you are a kind hearted person with lots of love to give and a quiet space for Salt to play and explore, please complete our adoption application pinned at the top of our page or contact our adoption manager directly.

Update: Adopted!!Meet Momma Chardonnay 🍷The beautiful momma behind our beloved Wine Kittens (all adopted) is finally rea...
05/21/2026

Update: Adopted!!
Meet Momma Chardonnay 🍷

The beautiful momma behind our beloved Wine Kittens (all adopted) is finally ready to shine in her own spotlight! Foster mom Maggie has absolutely fallen in love with this sweet girl, and we can see why. 💕

“Chardonnay is extremely sweet. She wants to be near you as often as possible. She was an incredibly attentive mom to the wine kitties and always made sure her babies were cared for. She loves to lounge nearby while I clean or move around the room, quickly drifting off to sleep just listening to everyday sounds. Chardonnay is gentle, calm, and recently discovering how fun toys can be! She especially loves wand toys, pets, chin scratches, and most importantly, simply being in the same room as her foster mom.” – Maggie

At only approximately 1.5 years old, Chardonnay still has so much playful kitten energy blossoming as she learns how to just be a cat herself after lovingly raising babies. 🥹

She is currently nursing a litter of kittens and is scheduled for her spay surgery in mid-June. Chardonnay will be available for adoption immediately following surgery and will come fully vetted with:

✨ Spay
✨ Rabies vaccine
✨ Distemper vaccine
✨ SNAP test
✨ Microchip

This sweet girl deserves a forever home where she can finally relax, be adored, and spend her days soaking up love and chin scratches. 🍇🐾 If you are
interested, please fill out an adoption application and our Adoption Manager will get back to you!

Update: Adopted!🐾✨ Double the black kitten magic! ✨🐾These two adorable black kittens may have come from completely diffe...
05/17/2026

Update: Adopted!
🐾✨ Double the black kitten magic! ✨🐾

These two adorable black kittens may have come from completely different beginnings, but they both found safety, love, and a bright future through rescue. Foster mom Claire has helped them thrive, and now they are already getting ready to head off to their forever homes soon! 🖤

🌙 Midnight (adopted) was found alone in the Walmart parking lot in Newington, tiny but determined to survive.

💎 Crystal (adopted) was rescued by a caring family in the South End of Hartford who made sure she got the help she needed.

Two different towns. Two different rescuers. One shared story of kindness, second chances, and the incredible love people have for animals in need.

Black kittens are often overlooked, but anyone who has loved one knows just how special they are — affectionate, playful, silly, elegant, and full of personality. We absolutely adore our little black kitties and are so happy these two will soon be living the lives they deserve. 🖤🐈‍⬛

Thank you to everyone who helps rescue, foster, and love these amazing babies.

🎉 Fur Pattern Mystery Time! 🐾One of our recently adopted kittens, Bacon (in the front), left us with one final puzzle be...
05/13/2026

🎉 Fur Pattern Mystery Time! 🐾

One of our recently adopted kittens, Bacon (in the front), left us with one final puzzle before heading off to their forever home… what IS this gorgeous fur pattern?! 🤔✨

This little cutie has the most unique coloring — it almost resembles a sable pattern, but we’re not totally sure! Between the rich tones, soft shading, and beautiful coat changes, this kitten kept us guessing every day. 🖤🤎

So now we’re turning it over to our fellow cat lovers and coat-color experts:

👇 What would YOU call this fur pattern?
Sable? Smoke? Fever coat? Something else entirely?

Drop your guesses, ideas, and coat-color wisdom in the comments! 🐱💬

No matter the answer, one thing is certain — this baby is absolutely stunning and is already very loved in their FURever home. 🏡💕

A fellow rescuer Tricia reached out to us after reading a post on an animal network page from a local woman seeking supp...
05/08/2026

A fellow rescuer Tricia reached out to us after reading a post on an animal network page from a local woman seeking support for her uncle who recently rescued several cats.

The email request was simple,

“Someone has 2 kittens they took in since birth and are approx 1.5 months old. A ginger and white kitten. The white kitten is sickly and probably has a URI. Do you have availability to take them in?” (Along with a photo of a kitten in distress).

After reviewing the request and photo, our executive team agreed to take the two kittens in despite “being at capacity”. It was obvious from the photo the white kitten was fading.

Within the hour, Tricia had coordinated the drop off of both kittens to our “home office” while our team setup veterinary appointments for both kittens.

Upon intake it was obvious to our team, the little white one (Lynx Point) was struggling to see, breathe, hear and stand on her own). Her buddy, a (blush tabby) was twice her size and although in much better health also suffered from an URI and a severe infestation of ear mites. So much so, their ears were impacted with debris and completed plugged.

Thanks to the quick response of our intake team, they were brought to where Dr. Hulse oversaw their care. During their assessment, Dr. Hulse was able to confirm the following:

“Salt” has a severe URI, ear mites infestation, double eye infection and due to her “wobbly nature, may also have cerebellar hypoplasia, which causes kittens to appear drunk when moving. While the condition isn’t painful and won’t worsen, it has stunted her grown and caused her to be a bit “bow legged”. She’s estimated to be 8 weeks old.

“Paprika” also has a URI, double eye infection, and severe ear mite infestation. He’s estimated to be 12/14 weeks old.

The decision was made to keep them together to ensure “Salt” has a companion who can give her love & affection while she battles her way back to good health. With this knowledge, we’d like to publicly thank Tricia for advocating for these two babies, and recognizing they needed dedicated supportive care.💛

Together we can make a difference!

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Wethersfield, CT

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