New here and needing help

ozgott · Apr 19, 2011

I live in a somewhat rural area of Florida, and we noticed one day that there were some kittens running about through the woods. Apparently someone had dropped off a litter of cats. After a few days of trying to coax them up to the house, one finally did approach, a female, she looked about 4 months old. The rest of the kittens were never seen again.

Well after bathing her and bringing her into the house, she adjusted fairly quickly to domestic life. However after a couple of months we realized she was pregnant! I thought she was a kitten! I guess female cats reach sexual maturity fairly quickly. Now I have 6 cats in the house. I tried to adopt them out, but nobody wants them, and I dont trust the people that do!

I can keep them, and give them a good life, but Im having a problem affording the spay and neuter bill. If I could get some financial assistance of just a couple of dollars from a few caring people, I could take care of them. Otherwise my wife wants them GONE! They are destroying the house. And I dont know what to do!

I set up a donation site for my cause... If you could spare a few dollars, it would really make a difference to myself and these cats.

Thank you!

http://www.gofundme.com/Feline-Rescue

otto · Apr 19, 2011

It's wonderful of you to have rescued that little mama and taken care of her and her offspring.

Call around the local shelters to find a low costs spay/neuter clinic in your area.

Ideas for raising the money yourself:

Raise money by having a yard sale or car wash or bake sale or all three. Get your friends involved, or church members if you belong to a church.

Advertise why you are having these fund raisers. Many people would like to feel virtuous and like they are helping in their own communities. They just don't know where or how to help. Often people would like to help but don't want to go out of their way to do it.

So if they see a cause like yours, right in their own community, they may be willing to get involved, since it won't cost them anything more than a donation of an item to sell, or a few bucks to buy a pie or cake.

AbbysMom · Apr 19, 2011

Just a reminder to all -

5. Solicitations – TheCatSite.com does not encourage or promote solicitation of money from our members. We will help in every way possible with our knowledge and support, but as many of us have multi-cat households and work with local rescue groups, monetary support is not always possible to causes or people we do not personally know. Members are allowed one posting in the SOS forum for each organization. Repeated postings for the same cause or organization will be deleted.

The needs of rescue workers are great and we recognize this fact. To care for multiple cats, find suitable homes, good vet care, food, etc. is costly. From time to time you will see some posts come up to ask for donations for a cause. It is YOUR responsibility to check out these solicitors to the best of your ability. More often, you will see pleas from individuals asking for money to be sent directly to them to assist with veterinary bills. Some come up with slick websites, others just have heartwrenching stories. In each of these cases, the poster is allowed ONE thread, to be placed in Cats SOS.

In either case, if you feel compelled to donate money ask for references, phone numbers, call around the area and find out if this is a legitimate cause or a scam. For personal pleas, get the veterinarian’s contact information and send money directly to the veterinarian to help with bills for that particular cat. If that information is not available, you have the answer if the plea is legitimate or a scam.

Be very careful before you send any money: no matter how effective the plea is, check it out first before opening your wallet.

StefanZ · Apr 19, 2011

Originally Posted by ozgott

but nobody wants them, and I dont trust the people that do!

I agree it is not enough to find somebody willing. You want also a GOOD new owner. A sparring camerade for a pitbull is not what you want.
There is a wonderful advice for securing at least a minimum, some reliability in kitten owners in spe.

Dont never ever give away them for free, nor almost for free "twenty cents a paw, and the same for the tail".

Not one cent below 20 dollars, preferably more. Unless there are special circumstances and thus - you are de facto giving the kitten as a personal gift.
A contract is also highly recommendable.

If it is uncomfortable to ask for money, agree with them they will donate these 20-100 dollars to some good cause they themselves find worthy. IN THE CATS name. I would propose "Doctors without boundaries" or some nice church organization helping.
So it will not be them giving the money and taking the glory of such a gift on their name - but the cat.
But - they will connect the cat with giving for a good cause, with noble feelings - and thus - making in itself a magical bond.

I agree with the others - try to find a cheap clinic, there are lots of these.
Dont ask for money as the sound is not so good.

Tx for caring about this little one,

and
good luck!

farleyv · Apr 20, 2011

You can google "low cost spay neuter" in your area. It should give you some options.

feralvr · Apr 20, 2011

Since they were strays or from a pregnant stray, contact a Trap Neuter Release program in your area. You can get the kittens fixed for about thirty dollars each. And that includes a set of shots too. Most rescues won't mind you using them for the surgeries even if you are not releasing them back outside. Or contact a low cost spay/neuter clinic for assistance. It is very kind of you to take these kittens and give them a home. Much luck to you and the kittens

StefanZ · Apr 30, 2011

Ozgott, how is it going? We do like updates!

runnerup · May 1, 2011

I really hate to read that you should NEVER give a cat away for free. That is simply not true. My favorite cat was given to me for free by someone on craigslist. In fact, she was so grateful that someone was taking in a 10 year old cat that she gave me a $50 gift card to Petsmart.

You should not give a cat away for free to a stranger without doing a home check. But if you are thorough enough in the screening process, the exchange of money is not required.

otto · May 1, 2011

Originally Posted by runnerup

I really hate to read that you should NEVER give a cat away for free. That is simply not true. My favorite cat was given to me for free by someone on craigslist. In fact, she was so grateful that someone was taking in a 10 year old cat that she gave me a $50 gift card to Petsmart.

You should not give a cat away for free to a stranger without doing a home check. But if you are thorough enough in the screening process, the exchange of money is not required.

That cat is one of the lucky ones. I hate craigslist. The favorite dumping ground for irresponsible people to get rid of their pets. Creeps and sickos who do unspeakable things to them, and people looking for animals to use in laboratory experiments look for "free to good home" ads on craigslist. And most who dump their cats that way don't care where the cats are going, as long as they are gone. I don't know how anyone who dumps their pet that way can live with themselves.

StefanZ · May 2, 2011

Originally Posted by runnerup

I really hate to read that you should NEVER give a cat away for free. That is simply not true. My favorite cat was given to me for free by someone on craigslist. In fact, she was so grateful that someone was taking in a 10 year old cat that she gave me a $50 gift card to Petsmart.

You should not give a cat away for free to a stranger without doing a home check. But if you are thorough enough in the screening process, the exchange of money is not required.

I did also wrote "Unless there are special circumstances and thus - you are de facto giving the kitten as a personal gift."

So exceptions may surely occur, you are one of the lucky cases,
This rule of thumb should very strong.

....

feralvr · May 2, 2011

Originally Posted by runnerup

I really hate to read that you should NEVER give a cat away for free. That is simply not true. My favorite cat was given to me for free by someone on craigslist. In fact, she was so grateful that someone was taking in a 10 year old cat that she gave me a $50 gift card to Petsmart.

You should not give a cat away for free to a stranger without doing a home check. But if you are thorough enough in the screening process, the exchange of money is not required.

If you KNOW and TRUST the person taking the kitten or cat then of course "free" is fine to them. BUT NEVER give away any cat or kitten for free. I know of too many horror stories and abuse stories and neglect stories because the "free" pet turned out to be costing too much money. You are better off bringing the litter to a rescue or shelter where they will find proper homes and require contracts to be signed. Sick individuals will scan "free" kitten ads and use those kittens for anything but being their pet. They will lie very persuasively about where the kitten will live and how loved it will be. And even offer for you to come and see the kitten's new home. There are still research facilities that will pay a small amount for cats. You can ask a minimal fee of $40. or $50. dollars and give it to an animal charity or shelter as a donation.

Hope all is going well!!!!

New here and needing help

ozgott

TCS Member

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otto

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AbbysMom

At Abby's beck and call

StefanZ

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farleyv

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feralvr

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StefanZ

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runnerup

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otto

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StefanZ

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feralvr

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