ghosts in my new apt

courtney_ou

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i moved into a new place about a week or so ago. at night, i could hear what sounded like ppl walking above me and little kids running around; considering its a house thats been turned into a duplex, i KNEW there wasnt anyone walking above me.

friday, i got my gas turned on and the gas guy ignored me when i told him i could smell and hear gas... so while my mother, the kitties and i waited TWO HOURS outside for the gas company to come back (they didnt think a giant gas leak was a priority -- seriously) and hoped the place didnt explode, we saw was we had assumed was ghosts.

where my part of the house is connected to the front of the house (i think i was built on at a later time) theres a kind of vent near the roof that looks like a litte door, kind of like what youd see on a barn and it was open. and there were my ghosts -- four adorable fluffy little kittens!!!! theyre only about8-19 weeks old. i tried taking pix with my cell but couldnt get very good ones. apparently they run thru the walls and attic at night and man do they make a lot of noise LOL

then yesterday, i heard a baby kitten crying and thought it was on tv. i looked outside and there was a TINY long haired tortie kitty that i guess had fallen off the roof and was trying to climb back up (the other kitties were looking at it, but ran when they saw me.) i was going to try and pick it up cuz i can *almost* reach the roof from my porch, probably enough to get it back up there. but this kitty took off when it saw me and i didnt want it to run out in the road. so i put some food and water out, hoping its mama would come back. she must have come quick since the food was gone within 15min.
i worried all day and nite about that kitten since it cant be more than 4 weeks old. hes so cute and small, only about the size of my hand from nose to tail. (im assuming a he. i havent actually gotten that close)

today about the same time, guess what i hear? the dang kitten has fallen off the roof -- again!!! i start to go pick it up when mama comes running. she slows when she sees me (oh ya, shes pregnant AGAIN!) so i go back in and she grabs that kitty and takes him under the car (the neighborhood is very nice except for one person has a bunch of junk cars up on blocks) and starts licking him so hard i think the poor little fellas fur is gonna come off! i can hear him crying even louder than when he fell off the roof! lol i did get pix of them but not very good ones since they were taken with my cell thru the screen.
 

yayi

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Aww, very cute. That little kitten must be giving mommy cat headaches from his escapades.
 
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courtney_ou

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i didnt hear any crying today but my mom suggested that his sibs might be pushing him off the roof just to get him in trouble!


thinking back to my childhood, this might not be too far from the truth LOL

as soon as i get a chance to mess around in photobucket, i'll see if i can make the pix big enough to see the mama and baby.
 

meowers

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o how cute! That's gonna be one tough little kitten when he grows up, from falling off the roof so many times. Do you think it's someones pet?
 

x-vegancandy-x

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Originally Posted by yayi

Aww, very cute. That little kitten must be giving mommy cat headaches from his escapades.


You should name one kitty "Phantom",& the one that keeps falling off the roof "Flyer"
 

pami

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This Momma cat really needs some help, if shes got these kittens and is pregnant again. Being pregnant this soon after her first litter is dangerous for her and for the kittens she is pregnant with.

Do you have any rescue groups you can call in your area to help humanely trap them and help them get into some foster homes?
 

pami

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Call these people and see if they can help you or direct you to someone who can help this poor Momma cat and her babies.

Second Chance Animal Sanctuary
4500 24th ave NW
405-321-1915
 
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courtney_ou

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they are def feral. i think the mama was probably a pet at one time since shes semi-used to humans. theres at least 4 or 5 more cats around here not counting the ones living in my walls and attic. i havent seen or heard the baby in 2 days but she may have taken it somewhere safer. ive heard the others so i know theyre still here

im not in norman any more but it wont let me change my location for some reason; ive tried several times. im in SEOK now.
both my kitties came from second chance but one was in a foster home sice it was part of a litter where that mama and some of the babies were fiv+.
patchy, however, was absolutely covered with fleas when i got her from second chance via petsmart in jan 06 and when i called SC they were totally indifferent. the vet tried to tell me she had been bathed and treated. there was NO way. it was so bad that chloe got fleas and she HAD been treated!!
(patchy had only been there a few days before they sent her to petsmart) even the vets office was appalled and said it was one of the worst cases of fleas theyd seen. a volunteer i later met told me she had never been bathed or treated and gave me a coupon for frontline. i lost a lot of respect for second chance when i found this out

anyways...
theres no rescues around here because im in a rural area; the closest ones are an hour away in any direction. we used to have one but it got shut down in 05 for inhumane practices and money laundering...go figure.

in really concerned for the kitties because theres a large skunk population - the cops actually shoot them late at night and pick them up because of rabies!! i know theres skunks around here because i can smell them, even though i live in town. this doesnt stop the cops, either; not to mention, i live about 75ft from the police station on the edge of town and they *will* shoot.
 

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I was going to suggest trapping them as well - it's really not safe for them to be where they are, and the mother should be spayed if she's a stray. Good luck with it, and maybe you'll get to keep one of the babies :p
 
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courtney_ou

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id like to take them all to the no-kill shelter about 40 miles away but unfortunately its $40 per kitty

not to mention it would cost me at least that to have someone drive me there--at least
i thought about catching them and getting them shots and re-releasing them until i took chloe and patchy to get check ups and fel leuk shots (and patchys ears cleaned) on monday and it was $92!!!!! *chokes* so thats out. its not in my budget to keep one even tho they are absolutely ADORABLE!

if i could find responsible ppl who would *actually* keep them inside, keep their shots up, etc (yall know what im talking about) id post them on craigslist or something but unfortunately around here, that just doesnt happen. right now, in this area, ppl area giving away 4 and 5 week old kittens on CL! (i keep flagging them and they keep getting mad)

someone will probably have to climb on the roof and get them. i'll load the pix to show you where theyre located, even if theyre crappy pix.
 
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courtney_ou

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http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...=1211665267968

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...=1211665673101

--the bird head sticking out looks weird and vicious. thats what the brown thing is halfway up on the right is. i had to keep looking to figure it out lol


http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ttensroof2.jpg

you cant quite tell but in the bottom right hand corner of the little door is a grey kitten's butt as hes running back in. the other 3 had already ran back in. theres a space in between my apt and the other (im assuming mine was built on later) and thats where the kitties are hanging out, along with the attic
 

meowers

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Maybe just start putting out food them, and then they wont wander around looking for food and get hurt. Although, then the skunks might eat it to. That is just a really hard situation to be in...glad you're trying anyway
 
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courtney_ou

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i havent seen or heard them in several days but its been around 100 deg so she might have taken them somewhere cooler


but tonite when i took out my garbage a little scrawny gray marble tabby ran up to me, crying. it followed me back to my door and i thought it was going to go in but it stayed on the cellar (theres a cellar about 4 ft from my back door) and just kept crying. both my kitties were on their hind legs at the screen door looking - i think they thought i was bringing another kitten home. (honestly, if i could afford it, i would have kept this one) it wouldnt stop crying, so i got it some food and water (big surprise there)

it looked so sad when i went in to get it food, like i'd abandoned it. when i came back out it was waiting for me but seemed scared to get the food. it came over to eat but it didnt even stop crying then entire time it ate! i have a feeling i made a new friend. then again, one of my neighbors supposedly has an apt full of kitties and this may be one of hers but if her kitties are that skinny something needs to be done because i could see its ribs. but it was obviously used to ppl and seemed to know i was the person to go to for food haha

its not one of the ghost kittens
 

mrblanche

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What about "Second Chance" animal shelter, 4 miles south of Norman?
 

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Could you possibly talk to the neighbors and arrange a neighborhood TNR + shots operation? With rabies around, you really don't want a population of unvaccinated ferals around your homes, and the only viable solution is to take care of these cats.
 

pami

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I am really sorry that you are in the middle of this situation. It must be so heartbreaking to see a cat like that and have to close the door in his face.

Additionally, this situation is a situation that must be dealt with because the cat having kittens is only going to bring more and more kittens around. The population around you will just keep growing until soneone steps in and helps these cats.

Fortunately there are more and more people around who understand this and are willing to help someone like you who is faced with this situation.

I know you said you are in a rural area, but there are still orgainizations out there willing to help. You just have to seek them out.

Here is a list to start with. Please call them, explain the situation, let these resources work for you. Explain there is a pregnant momma who already has kittens, let them know that you do not have the financial means to spay/neuter or care for them.



Oklahoma Volunteers for Animal Welfare
Spay/Neuter Hotline
Oklahoma City, OK
405-842-6772
[color=#00064]Information about low cost or free spay/neuter around the state.[/color]

You can also go here http://petfinder.org/ put your zip code in on the left side and it will bring rescue groups in your surrounding area. Click on their names for contact info, it is usually by email, but not always. Contact them, let them know the situation. They will ihave nfo on people who will help these kitties.

The sooner you do this the better, the kittens will mate with each other, so you need to get some help in now and not later.

Come back and give us the results, so if you hit any brick walls we can collectively come up with more resources.

Good Luck, Sweetie, this is a lot on your plate, but you will be doing a wonderful wonderful thing for these poor helpless cats and baby kittens.
 
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courtney_ou

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

What about "Second Chance" animal shelter, 4 miles south of Norman?
im no longer in norman but tcs thingy wont let me change some of my info (technology HATES me LOL!!) im in rural oklahoma now and theres no rescues/shelters near here; theyre all an hour in any direction.

as for my neighbors, i really dont know how to describe them... maybe the stepford rednecks? i dont know if youve ever watched andy griffith and saw that backwoods family that had the jugband in it with the blond daughter that ernest t. bass always chased? well, those would describe my neighbors perfectly, including ernest t. bass. actually, they may not be that sophiscatin' lol! i doubt they care since the kitties were obviously here long before i came and nothing was done then.

my town isnt very large - only 2500, maybe and we're the county seat. theres only 10,000 in the county. theres no animal control and people still think it strange to keep pets inside and get shots. its farm country -- ppl let their pets run free. i know thats hard to think about if youre from the city, but thats why i keep trying to explain that ppl around here dont care about stuff like shots (well most ppl) like you and i do!
 

pami

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I am not talking about any county regulated animal control, Im talking about rescue groups that can help. These cats need to be spayed/neutered. Nothing, not one thing positive can come from these cats remaining unneutered. Inbreeding, diseases, you know, please call the above rescue group.
 
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courtney_ou

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FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THIS THREAD, NORMAN IS NEARLY 300 MILES AWAY. TCS HAS SOME TECHNICAL FLAW THAT WILL NOT LET ME CHANGE MY LOCATION. I AM IN SOUTHEASTERN OK. THERE ARE NO RESCUE GROUPS WITHIN 40-50 MILES OF ME. I HAVE NO WAY OR $$ TO GET KITTIES THERE. IT IS ABOUT $40-$50 PER KITTY TO LEAVE THEM AT RESCUES AROUND THIS AREA.

sorry to yell but no one seems to be listening or comprehending. i have epilepsy and do not drive plus i live on a VERY fixed income. im doing my best to feed my kitties let alone the adorable stray kittens that come along tugging at my heart strings. my neighbors are inbred mutants who dont seem to care one way or the other about the strays (same goes for their kids, ive noticed)
no one around here does altering on a scale or shots for that matter. shots are *expensive* around here. i paid nearly $100 for a check up and leukemia shots for my kitties last monday, so you can imagine what gathering up all those kitties and getting shots for them would cost o.0
 
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