feeling very very over whelmed....Dh brought cat home..going back for kitten

There was a story on the Pittsburgh TV news yesterday that the Humane Society had to pick up 40 cats in one day. Nine of those were turned in by a heartbroken, kindhearted woman in her thirties. The newscaster interviewed her. She couldn't resist taking them in, and dearly loves them, but still has 19 cats to care for. I felt so sorry for her; it just got to be too much. She couldn't afford it any more. She just didn't have the money or energy after work to care for them as she felt she should. I can see how easily that could happen to an animal lover! Val, you're doing more than your share. By the time all the cats are neutered, fed, and get their shots regularly, the expense can get prohibitive! And you're giving your heart too, like this poor young woman on the news.

The other 31 were all picked up at the home of someone who had died. How tragic! I was going to post this in SOS, but when I saw this thread I thought it was apropos. I can't go to an animal shelter, never could. I had to face my limitations. I still have to take into consideration the fact that people drop their kittens off at the homes of those people with a cat sitting on their windowsill.

it is just ashame that money has to be an issue. I emailed my spca to see if I could "adopt" my cats from them because it would be cheaper and they still have not gotten back to me. Dh and I are going to have to think of a game plan tonight. I did get one very very nice donation so that should cover all the costs for three of the cats. If we take it in steps it should be too bad. this is what I'm planning..


1. The new kitty will go tomorrow and get shots and be fixed on friday. she will be an outside barn cat.

2.Lilly will go next week, get her tested for felv and fiv, since she is ashtons sister if she doesn't have it ashton shouldn't either. she will be an outside barn cat

3. I'll have to make an appointment for ashton, and hopefully he can be an inside cat.

4. snowwhite and babies will go in about 5 weeks when the babies are 8 weeks old for there shots and snowwhite will get fixed. She will be an outside cat. Nimby, stormy, and blizzy (we might find blizzy a home) will be inside cats.

and then that just leaves sherbert to get fixed, and he would be an outside kitty.

When I think of it that way, it doesn't sound toooo bad.
Neo and MoeMoe are giving me dirty looks

Val, I know that most people-- on occasion, even a vet might say 8 weeks is sufficient time for a kitten to stay with mom and the littermates. I believed that myself at one time. That is not the case. The experts and breeders, except for the inexperienced or unethical ones, will assure you that kittens need an extra four weeks. I bred and showed dogs and bred traditional Siamese cats for years. I learned that it's important for these little ones to stay and learn from mother and from playing with their siblings. Although mother might have weaned them all earlier, they learn from interacting with mother and siblings.

can she still spend time with them after she is fixed. I'm really worried about her going into heat again and when she starts weaning she gets kinda mean she used to hiss and ashton, lilly and sherbert and chase them. With the kittens being in the room with her they won't be able to get away.

Val, have you thought about doing shots, yourself? When I had six cats, it saved me a lot of money. I bought the vaccines at a ranch supply and there are pet supply catalogs, that sell in bulk lots of 12+ vials.

Full shots, for each cat, would have cost me $28, at the vet. Doing it myself cost $15. Multiplied by 6 cats, this saved me $78.

I don't know about where you live but I didn't need a prescription, to buy vaccines and syringes at the ranch supply. The catalogs require one but a responsible vet would understand why you're trying to save a little money. The only vaccine that I can't buy here, is rabies but I keep an eye out, for low-cost shot clinics.

Good luck.

I think I would be to scared to do shots myself! Once a year they have a free rabies clinic at the fire station, so I guess I'll just catch all the outside guys and take them to that when they are do that will be pretty interesting. But I really want to make sure everyone is always up to date on rabies shots.

Val, It's possible, in fact, likely that a female will come in season while she is still nursing the kittens. When they can eat independently, and that won't be long, get her spayed ASAP or she will breed. Ask the vet how long to keep her away from the kittens. She will still be able to teach them and interact, and they will have each other to play with. Kittens will nurse for months and months, if mother cat allows it!

I had a stray neutered the same day the kittens were born, because she had to have a Caesarean. The vet allowed her to come home very early to care for her kittens. However, newborns don't push and knead as hard as your kittens do now, and not as likely to hurt her incision.

Val I would not have the mom spayed until the kittens are weaned. I would however have any stray males neutered, so that the kitten population does not explode and the kittens are not in danger from an intact male finding them. And I would not under any circumstances let snowwhite outside for any reason until she is fixed.

That's ideal, but I know of a new breeder whose queen has got pregnant because she didn't know the female could get pregnant while nursing. You'll have to watch her really closely.

Val, I am only about an hour away from you. My BF and I give our cats their shots. If you get the vaccines, we can come over and give them to the cats if that would help. (I'm a nurse, he is a former EMT). Rabies shots have to come from a vet, but the regular 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 shots can be given by anyone.

Let me know if we can help.

Your husband is an angel for going back to help that kitten, and so are you for all you've been doing for the kitties!

That is great sue!! They have to have a vet visit this time because they are getting fixed but when they need it updated i'll be emailing you

UPDATE: when dh got back to work some of the other people there got the kitten out and it got away so now he is going to have to try to catch that one. We talked it over and we decided that we are going to work with the mom and see if we can get her to be friendly and then try find her a home. If we can catch lilly tomorrow then we will take lilly to get fixed, if not then we can take ashton. The new kitty we are going to put in a large crate like snowwhite had and then block off a room in the basement so we can work with her one on one. We are also thinking about trying to find blizzy a home.

On the bright side, I now have a trap to use to try to catch lilly tomorrow They were borrowing the trap from someone, but what is another day going to hurt? i need it!

so if anyone from close to nj is interested in blizzy... **cough, cough sue ** Let me know. One of my friends is checking with her mom, and I'm bugging my mom but if that falls through I have to start looking for someone else.

You and your hubby are such 's for taking in those kitties! I'm sure everything will be fine! I can't believe that God wouldn't look out for people as wonderful as you!

Originally posted by Princess Purr
so if anyone from close to nj is interested in blizzy... **cough, cough sue

** Let me know. One of my friends is checking with her mom, and I'm bugging my mom but if that falls through I have to start looking for someone else.

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Keep me posted. I couldn't resist that cute little face!

You and your husband are such wonderful people to spend so much time, money, and energy caring for these little guys! I admire your husband for standing up to his boss like that. Please let us know when you find out what happened to the kitten. I wish I lived closer so I could help. I know you are doing everything you can for these precious animals. You are an angel:angel2:

Did you find anything out about the kitten?

nothing about the kitten yet