I went to the local gun store today to pick up a few things I had on order. While there, I noticed a brown american short-hair cat outside the door (maybe 10 feet away) and about 6 teeny kittens (2 weeks old or so). Their eyes are open but still blue (Ally's eyes were just starting to turn green at 4-5 weeks).
I know the store owner and employees fairly well (most of them are also local police officers) and asked about the cat and kittens. They told me that the cat has been more or less living outside of the store for a long time now and the kittens were just born recently. I talked some more and found out that the mother cat is very people-friendly (possibly a dumped domestic) and is comfortable with people petting the kittens (she just keeps a close eye on them).
The employees feed the cat daily and the kittens were feeding on her milk while I was there. They're pretty little white and brown kittens.
Anyways, after I was done with what I needed to do at the store, I hung outside for a little while and it turns out that they're right, the mother didn't mind me petting or even picking up her kittens.
I went back inside and asked what the plan was with the kittens. One employee was thinking of taking one home, but other than that - nothing. I asked them if it would be ok for me to eventually try to get them adopted through the humane society. They were fine with it.
I'm thinking, wait a few more weeks so they get their milk, then go take the kittens to the humane society. After they've gotten their shots and been spayed/neutered, I may even take one for myself to be friends with Ally as I have decided to get her a friend and will be moving to Minnesota in about 2 months (that would give them enough time to get used to each other and for the kitten to grow a bit in the safety of my bedroom - which if you've followed my other threads, you'll know why I now keep Ally in my bedroom exclusively).
To sum things up - I think I should wait maybe 3 more weeks before removing them from the mother (so they've got teeth and can either be on formula or eat solid food). I've got a big carrier that I used for Ally when she was injured (she's great now btw) and I'll load that up in my car, go down there and take the kittens with me to the humane society where I'm positive they'll be adopted due to being so young.
I know the store owner and employees fairly well (most of them are also local police officers) and asked about the cat and kittens. They told me that the cat has been more or less living outside of the store for a long time now and the kittens were just born recently. I talked some more and found out that the mother cat is very people-friendly (possibly a dumped domestic) and is comfortable with people petting the kittens (she just keeps a close eye on them).
The employees feed the cat daily and the kittens were feeding on her milk while I was there. They're pretty little white and brown kittens.
Anyways, after I was done with what I needed to do at the store, I hung outside for a little while and it turns out that they're right, the mother didn't mind me petting or even picking up her kittens.
I went back inside and asked what the plan was with the kittens. One employee was thinking of taking one home, but other than that - nothing. I asked them if it would be ok for me to eventually try to get them adopted through the humane society. They were fine with it.
I'm thinking, wait a few more weeks so they get their milk, then go take the kittens to the humane society. After they've gotten their shots and been spayed/neutered, I may even take one for myself to be friends with Ally as I have decided to get her a friend and will be moving to Minnesota in about 2 months (that would give them enough time to get used to each other and for the kitten to grow a bit in the safety of my bedroom - which if you've followed my other threads, you'll know why I now keep Ally in my bedroom exclusively).
To sum things up - I think I should wait maybe 3 more weeks before removing them from the mother (so they've got teeth and can either be on formula or eat solid food). I've got a big carrier that I used for Ally when she was injured (she's great now btw) and I'll load that up in my car, go down there and take the kittens with me to the humane society where I'm positive they'll be adopted due to being so young.