Feral kittens in Ireland - rescued last night

Originally Posted by wendyr

Anyway, I am happy to report that at least we are taking steps towards doing it, and I totally understand how miscommunications and confusion can happen, but it is still slightly frustrating that we could have done this months ago....it was this discovery that prompted me to contact the organisation to help her out....

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Hi Wendy and All,

Ah, but there are many, MANY cats out there and lots of people don't even NOTICE them, far less think about what they eat or where they sleep.

Don't punish yourself or the pub folk, just rejoice that NOW you are able to do things together for the cats.

I know you mentioned you felt unease and that the mama cat did not look well. I know that makes it harder to look back and think that you "could have done more, sooner. Hopefully she will be just fine. It is a testament to these cats' strength how they DO cope with constant breeding. I remember how shocked I was the first time that I helped trap a mother cat that had recently weaned her kittens - she looked like skin and bones! And then as she recouped after TNR, we realized that she couldn't have been much older than a kitten herself when she produced her litter! And how amazing and humbling it was to recall how well she had protected her litter and weaned them and so on!

Sending strength and love to you and your "reformed" ferals and especially to momcat!

Best,
Linda

Thanks so much Linda! Your message was EXACTLY what I needed to read right now! It has been a bit of a strange weekend. My sister-in-law, her husband and their 2 year old son were here for a visit. It was lovely, but it freaked the kittens out quite a bit. The guests didn't stay at our house, but whenever the did come over, the kittens ran straight under the bed and hid. We ended up closing the bedroom door (providing them food, water and a litter box) and that made them feel better (they would come out for the husband and me). Anyway, they left today, so hopefully they will be able to resume their normal routine (which will make them happy).

Mama cat seems to be doing okay. I have heard back from the organisation that will trap and neuter her, and we are going to arrange it for hopefully this week. She comes out every night if the weather is nice and she doesn't leave the area until I give her a bit of food, so I think we will be successful in our trapping. However, tonight, I saw her, and I am pretty positive she is pregnant once again - her nipples are very prominent and her belly is looking quite rotund. Obviously, we had hoped to avoid this, but I am just happy that we are at least making steps towards giving her the best life possible considering the circumstances. I e-mailed the organisation just to give them a heads up.

The kittens are still sweet and adorable - but hardly kittens anymore! They are very playful and happy, which makes me happy.

Thanks again for all the support here. Sometimes you need that little bit to help lift you!

Are you going to keep the Mama or do you plan to TNR?

I think we will probably do TNR. I will talk to the organisation about it a bit more, but my husband is pretty adamant about not taking any more cats in. If they feel she is suitable for re-homing, then they will take care of it.

Haven't updated in a while, so thought I would just give a brief account of how the kittens are doing.

The boys are pretty well recovered from the neutering a few weeks ago. Steve rubbed some of the fur off his nose whilst in the cage, so that is growing back - poor boy! The kittens are all very playful - Paddington and Conor in particular! They are becoming much more friendlier - in fact, it's almost hard to believe they were ever ferals! Paddington and Conor are still loving their before dinner pets and there have been quite a few out of feeding hours pets as well, which is just great. The other night, Conor just couldn't get enough - we were upstairs and she didn't want me to stop stroking her - I never thought we would get to that point, but a mere two and a bit months later...crazy.

No real updates on Mama cat. The organisation who are going to help me out are super busy (a charity, of course - I worked in the charity sector in London, so I understand how strapped they must be!). She hasn't been around for a few nights, but I am going to contact them again next week in hopes that we can get her taken in.

So, the kittens are mad with us. I will explain!

Yesterday, I noticed the tell-tale signs of fleas. The husband and I both have prior experience with these little buggers, so I knew right away. They are indoor only cats, but I know there are tons of ways indoor cats can get infested, so I gave the husband and call and asked him to stop by the vet on his way home to get some medication. Meanwhile, I set about doing some deep cleaning (stage one of kittens being annoyed - they HATE it when I move their stuff around...).

So, the husband came home with some Frontline Combo. We got a bit of special food for them gathered up and headed upstairs to give it to them. I knew Paddington and Conor would be relatively easy to do, but we were worried about Steve. He is getting better, but still very skittish. So, the husband suited up in lots of layers (including two layers of gloves) just in case things got ugly. Paddington and Conor, as expected, were done with no problem. Steve cottoned on to the fact that something was up and he ran under the bed. We coaxed him out, but as soon as we tried to get him done, he was all fur and claws. The husband isolated him in the bathroom, but couldn't manage to get him. Frustration! By this time, Conor and Paddington were suitably freaked out by all the activity!

We decided to try again later, but we got our opportunity quicker than we thought. He was under the bed, and we lifted up the mattress. The husband managed to press the pipette against Steve's skin and squeeze all the flea killer on him. Who knows how much of it actually got delivered to his skin, but we figured a little bit is better than nothing! Anyway, as soon as the husband was finished, Steve bolted downstairs and proceeded to hide in the fireplace for the rest of the night. At least we know he wasn't licking the medicine!

Unfortunately, Conor somehow managed to have a lick - maybe off Paddington or maybe somehow off herself. This lead to serious drooling. Poor girl - it freaked her out so much. It would happen for about 5 minutes and then she would be fine. She would play for a bit, and then inevitably lick herself or Paddington and it would start up again. Poor girl! I stayed up with her to make sure she had no other affects and to try and limit her licking, and she is fine this morning - but very unhappy with us (in particular the husband - they all seem to blame him...).

Paddington is pretty much himself, but a bit upset that his routine was disrupted. He likes to have everything his way, and having an upset sister and a hiding brother turned him into a total grumble-bug. But, oh well. This was necessary, and I am just happy that we got it all done!

Well, even though the week was off to a 'bad' start, things have only gotten better! Steve found it very hard to forgive us after the de'fleaing incident, and refused his wet dinner two nights in a row (he was still eating dry, however, so I wasn't too concerned). He came out last night for dinner though, and all yesterday he acted pretty much like his normal self. He is still quite skittish and nervous, but I just think that is him. We will just work to make him as comfortable as possible and hope that he grows to trust us as much as the other two.

Speaking of the other two. WOW! It has been an amazing week with them. Simply amazing. I can't believe that these two kittens started out as semi-ferals. Paddington actively seeks out being pet. He loves it. I can't walk past him (unless he is busy playing or bug hunting) without him wanting a little stroke (this includes him coming into the bathroom after me, seeking pets while I am..ahem...busy). He can't get enough of it. This has been going on for a few days now, and Conor has started to get in on the act. She is not as keen on the random petting - rather, she likes to get involved when Paddington is getting a good cuddle. They both just purr away and rub up on me. It is really quite extraordinary. If I sit down on the floor, at least one of them will come over to me to get pet, and usually the other will follow. The husband is not as successful with them - they usually only let him pet them when I am involved, but I think they will just get better and better with him too. Oh, and I am also working on getting them used to being picked up. Conor has always been quite okay with the occasional scooping, but I want them to get used to us picking them up if necessary. I was nervous about Paddington (see the previous bite!), but I managed to gently lift him off the floor about 5 or 6 times (not too high, just enough so he is starting to get used to the sensation) and he has had no problem with it. We will keep working on both of them (and hopefully Steve in the future). I don't plan on picking them up regularly or anything, but I think it is all part of building up the trust (and there might come a time when it is necessary!).

Anyway, just wanted to post on all the progress. I really, really can't believe how far they have come. When we first took them in, we essentially figured it would take at least a year (if not longer) to get to this sort of level of interaction. But it has only been nearly three months. I am just in awe.

Oh that is wonderful.
They have taken to you quite well. You are now the official Mommy. My cats treat me like their mother. It seems yours are too. Very good progress.

The husband's dream came true the other day. He got home from a conference on Saturday afternoon and settled in for a little rest on the sofa. Within a few minutes, Paddington and Conor jumped up to join him. I had to get a few photos!



It will be three months since we took them in on Wednesday. I can't believe how far these two have come.

Steve will get there - eventually!

How's it going with the pub cats?

Laurie

Cute!
I love them sleeping near. Cleo and Mary are laying near me now.
They have come very far.

Pub cat...sigh! Mama was very pregnant, and obviously she has disappeared to go have her kittens. My husband said he saw here a few days ago - not pregnant anymore. Anyway, I know she will come around with her kittens soon enough, so when she does, we will give the organisation a call to get Mama all spayed and hopefully adopt the kittens out. I don't know. I only wish we had got to her sooner!

I spent about 20 minutes with Stevie yesterday - just him and me. He was on the bed and I sat right next to it, slowly moving my hand towards him and allowing him to sniff it. He ate a few treats out of my hand, which is a first - normally I have to throw them to him.

With you on her side, I'm sure all will be well with mama and kittens.

As to Stevie -what a treat for you!

Laurie

Not been updating recently because a) work has kept me away from the internet and b) the kittens are doing just great! The husband and I are regularly saying to each other how amazingly far they have come.

Steve is still a bit of a hold-out but even he is progressing. He is starting to trust us again after the nightmare that was April (neutering AND de-fleaing!). He spends quite a lot of time downstairs with us and the other kittens and is generally less skittish. Still not friendly, exactly, but I think he is moving along. I just want him to trust us and be happy here. I think he is happy here, so the trust is the only thing. He has discovered a new hiding spot - on top of our closet! He loves it up there. None of the other kittens climb up that high and he feels protected. He is a lovely little thing, so I am glad he is adjusting.

Conor and Paddington...well, not too much to say other than they are doing just great! Since I have been working so much, the husband has taken over a lot of the feeding duties, which has been so good. The kittens were always more attached to me, since I am their primary caregiver, but now Conor in particular regularly seeks out the husband for affection. Sometimes, she snubs her nose up at my cuddles only to hop up on the couch with the husband. He is very pleased.

Both of them demand cuddles on a regular basis. They love to be pet and played with. A far cry from how they were three months ago! They are perfectly comfortable with both the husband and myself, which is just amazing.

They are funny, curious little things. Paddington LOVES his litter box more than I can comprehend. He watches me clean it out and then hops in and rolls around in ecstasy. It is funny and a bit strange. Will have to get some photos! He also discovered the open bag of litter and he has taken to hoping straight into that for a roll. We have since made sure the bag is fully closed!

Conor is an affectionate little thing who just wants to spend all her time with the husband and myself. She is rarely upstairs anymore unless she is sleeping - considering they used to spend 90% of their time upstairs (away from us and in their 'safe room')...well, we are both just blown away!

They are still nervous around other people, and I think that is just the way it's going to be. Whenever we have friends over now, we just put all their stuff in the bedroom and let them be.

Will post some pictures sometime soon - have a backlog! But, today is my only day off until the end of the month so it might have to wait until then...

I was wondering what they were up to.
I am glad the hubby gets some kitty love too. They have certainly come a far way. Most definitely. Please don't forget the updates.I love hearing about them.

Okay, ya'll. I thought I would catch up on some of my photo-posting. Decided to do it here, as I know some of you have been following the story of these three little rascals from the start and wanted you all to see how they are doing! So here goes....



Paddington on the sofa - taken tonight by the husband. He is getting SO BIG. It is amazing. We were looking at pictures of them from when they were really young and from three months ago (when we took them in) and it is amazing to see how well they are doing. I know this may cause trouble in the coming years, but I am so happy to see his tubby little belly when he lies down...



The husband (Alfred - probably easier just to call him by his name...) was cooking and Paddington decided to hop up for a view. He does this quite often. He is so long!



Little Steve! He is doing very well. He had a tough time - as mentioned before - and when he was in the cage going to the vet he rubbed a lot of the fur off his nose. It has grown back and he is looking very well and getting more and more trusting of me every day...



A few weeks ago, I came home from the shops and discovered a little kitten slumber party on the sofa. Had to take a picture!



We got a laser pointer a few weeks ago. When this picture was taking, we had been involved in about 20 minutes of play and they were exhausted. They all just collapsed around the spot where the laser was, wanting to play but not able to summon the energy...



Conor, hiding under our table. She is the only one of the kittens who can still fit (strange since for so long she was the biggest...), so it is a good, safe hiding place when she is playing with her brothers.



Stevie, at the window.



After a heavy play session, Paddington just ended up chilling on the table, paws dangling. So cute.



All the kittens have now started sleeping on top of our closet. Here are Steve and Conor after a long afternoon nap.



Conor! She has been doing so amazing. Alfred is in love with her and she is in love with him - she regularly lets him scoop her up for some love.

Okay gang. That is all for now - sorry this is so image heavy, but wanted to show our sweet little things off in their full glory! Have to get some pictures of Paddington playing while I change the litter - it is a sight to behold....

Awww sweet. They have grown. Steve is so cute. One of the pictures looks like Felix the Cat.

Paddington doesn't just sleep. He passes out. Very sweet.

Things going well. The kittens are going through their 'teenage' phase, which is interesting. A bit of sibling-fighting between Conor and Paddington, but they are doing okay. Conor is still a little love-bug and Paddington is just a funny little thing. He makes us laugh many times a night!

I am trying to make some more progress with Steve by spending time with him one-on-one. I am trying to remember how we managed to get Paddington and Conor to the place they are now, and am just making small steps with Steve. I have managed to pet his paw and his tail - I remember these were big steps with the other two previously! He doesn't run away like he used to and he seems more tolerant of spending time with us, particularly in rooms where he feels safe. I think we are really making progress.

A time of transition here - we are changing both our food and litter due to supply issues. Ugh. Ireland is much more of a dog society, so I have had problems finding high quality food at our local shops. And litter! So expensive. I did have a food I was happy with, but our shop has been out for nearly a month and despite their telling me they are going to get more...I think I need to change in order to ensure they get the best possible. We are going to be ordering on-line now. Unfortunately, they are on a less than best food right now, but hopefully we will get the new stuff in a few days and we can start the proper transition.

Overall, the kittens are doing so well. We are so happy with them. We have to go away again in June - just for two days - so am going to have to start preparing for that. Hopefully my friend can help out.....

Oh what a sweetie. I love it when they pass out like wet noodles.
I love your pictures and I do check in on the gang.
Perhaps you can find someone who will get supplies only for you? Or try:

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/pet_food....FRwvagodtx-mhg

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/google/shop/cats

Those are two sites my English friend advised me to give to you. You have done such an amazing job with them.

Another quick update, but firstly, thanks for the recommendation, CC12! We were really impressed with the website for zooplus, and we ended up ordering some food from there and some litter. Immediately after we placed the order, we discovered our local pet shop started stocking the same litter, which is great. Anyway, we got 30 kilos of food delivered today along with the new litter. The kittens already liked the litter, and they seem pleased with the food. I feed them a few bits as a treat today and they gobbled it up. Now, just have to do the gradual transition. Phew. Thanks again (and thanks to your friend!)! We were very pleased with zooplus!

Now, I just have to figure out where to store 30 kilos of cat food....(actually the husband and I do have that worked out...it is just amazing to see just how much 30 kilos is!).

Kittens are doing great, of course. Conor and Paddington are totally comfortable with us now. We scoop them up and move them all the time (glad we got them used to that) and Conor has discovered the wonders of the tummy rub. That's all she wants now! So sweet.

Next task - cutting their nails. My friend showed us how to yesterday on her cats...we are going to take it slow.

Best part of the on-line order? The box. Hours of entertainment for the kittens.