He was the only one who survived. Three newborn kittens found all alone in a scrap yard, one with the umbilical cord still attached, without their mother or each other to keep them warm and safe.
“We were all hoping the three kittens would make it,” says Shannon Paille, manager of the BC SPCA Kelowna. “As sad as it was to lose his siblings, it has been so heartwarming to watch Becel thrive in his foster’s care.”
Sue has been a foster for sixty-one kittens since she started volunteering with the BC SPCA in 2022. “I was quite shocked when I first saw Becel. I had never been a foster to a kitten this small,” says Sue. “His eyes weren’t open, and he couldn’t hear yet. He was just three days old and weighed only 103 grams (he weighs 589 grams now). I had never had to bottle-feed a kitten – it is a different experience. You bond very quickly with the kitten.”
A kitten as young as Becel was when he came into the BC SPCA’s care requires bottle feeding every two hours for the first two weeks. In the third week it is every three hours and in the fourth week, every four hours. “He is weaned now and is eating food, so I am catching up on my sleep,” says Sue.
As tiny as Becel was when he first arrived, Sue says she just knew he would not only survive but thrive. “We named him Apollo because of his strength,” she says. “He has been very brave. It is tough for him to be on his own without his mother and his siblings, but we have done everything we can to be his kitty family. We have been teaching him how to play, how to eat and how to poop & pee and use the litter box.”
Sue says Apollo adores a good cuddle and playing with his toy mice. “He loves humans, and belly rubs. He wants to be with us all the time,” she says. The tiny kitten follows them around the house all day long and loves to climb up on their pant legs to see what is going on and to get some attention and affection.
“It is going to be tough to let this little one go,” says Sue. “He has stolen my heart. We have been so invested in his care; our whole family has. I weighed him every day to make sure he was gaining weight and was up throughout the night bottle-feeding him. My son has been a huge help, and my daughter & her family have come over to help socialize him. It takes a village!”
Sue adds this has been the most work she has ever done for a kitten. “But it has been the most rewarding,” she says. “I know Apollo is going to have the best life. I am so happy to have played a role in helping him be a healthy and happy kitten and cat.”
If you have ever thought about being a BC SPCA foster and playing a critical role in helping us transform the lives of animals in our care, learn more about the program here.
Scrap yard discovery – newborn kittens receive emergency care
Original story: August 21, 2025
On August 14, three tiny newborn kittens were discovered in various locations in a scrap yard in Kelowna. They were brought to an animal hospital where they received emergency care.
“We were contacted by the finder who was working at the yard and requested he take the kittens directly to the animal hospital,” says Shannon Paille, manager of the BC SPCA Kelowna. “Barely a day old, one still had the placenta attached.”
The finder searched for the mother and any other kittens that may be in the yard but did not find any. “It’s heartbreaking to imagine these tiny kittens alone, without their mother or even each other for warmth and protection,” says Paille. The BC SPCA is committed to covering the costs of the kittens’ emergency medical care.
Sadly, one of the kittens was in critical distress when they arrived at the hospital and had to be humanely euthanized. The other two kittens were kept in an incubator overnight at the hospital and were given subcutaneous fluids. Despite extensive efforts to stabilize her condition, a second kitten’s health continued to deteriorate and she was humanely euthanized.
“We found an amazing foster for the surviving kitten who is bottle feeding him every two hours and weighing him daily to make sure he is gaining weight,” says Paille. “They have an animal safe heating pad for the little one to provide some comforting warmth so they can feel safe and secure. It is important for newborn kittens to be kept at a consistent temperature.”
Paille says they are cautiously optimistic about the kitten’s health. “This kitten has a fighting spirit. The foster says he is eating well and is gaining weight.”