Any suggestions?

About five or six weeks ago I was contacted by a TNR group about a colony of cats that needed a caretaker as the woman who fed them was moving. None were spayed or neutered, but the organization was wonderful in trapping them.

There were 11 in all. Four of them were about 10 weeks old and then another four were about 4 to 6 months old. I was very concerned about the smallest kittens in the winter and more importantly of someone buying the house and not wanting so many cats hanging around.

I brought the four smallest kittens and now have three of the older kittens inside to my home, isolated in a bedroom. I plan on retrapping the remaining older kitten as soon as I can. With the exception of one older kitten, they are all doing so well. They will eat out of my hand, they love to play with the da bird, and are starting to crawl on me when I lie down and play with them.

I have found wonderful homes for three of the younger kittens and two of the older kittens. The first kitten went to her home last saturday and is doing well. Tonight another kitten went to his home. Here is my problem, while I can pet them and they eat out of my hand, they completely freak out when I try to pick them up and put them in a carrier! Last week I was scratched, but tonight was terrible, I was badly bitten. I am supposed to take another kitten to his home tomorrow morning, but I am really nervous. I hate to traumatize them, and I have spent so much time socializing them.

The two older kittens will be staying much longer, but the friends who adopted the younger kittens really wanted them so they could continue socializing and have them get adjusted to their new homes.

Any suggestions on how to get this kitten in a carrier without losing a finger!

What's your carrier like? Our last cat was a real feral for years, couldn't be picked up and a problem when it came to getting him into one. I finally resorted to feeding him inside a large (dog) carrier so that I could trap him in there before vet visits. Whenever that failed, I used heavy leather gloves, put on a long-sleeved jacket and upended a cat carrier so that the opening was pointed upward and I could drop him in.

The carrier I have now has top and front openings, and the top opening is the one it's easiest to get a cat into. The front opening is the one the cat will run back into when the vet visit is over. This one is very similar: Pet Transport Box

KRZ said:

I brought the four smallest kittens and now have three of the older kittens inside to my home, isolated in a bedroom. I plan on retrapping the remaining older kitten as soon as I can. With the exception of one older kitten, they are all doing so well. They will eat out of my hand, they love to play with the da bird, and are starting to crawl on me when I lie down and play with them.
I have found wonderful homes for three of the younger kittens and two of the older kittens. The first kitten went to her home last saturday and is doing well. Tonight another kitten went to his home.

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A wonderful reading today, in the Eve of Christmas.

Virgin Mary and the Jesus child are surely happily rejoicing!  

(I was born and had my childhood  in the catholic Poland, and thus - this figure is entirely natural for me).

To your question: Jcat advices is The Answer here. Both this carrier described, and the protective clothes.

Other possible advices:

If you can get  Felifriend, it will help.  Felifriend is another type of Feliway, used at direct handling. So many vets uses Felifriend. I suppose some  Show-judges uses it too....  

I suppose you must buy Felifriend online, as it is not sold in all countries.

As you are in a hurry, you must do without Felifriend. Try with spraying profusely with Feliway, at the least.

If you have dr Bachs  Rescue Remedy, you can try with this too.  Before you do the maneuver.

If you dont have them at home nor in a shop nearby you, you can perhaps borrow some Feliway spray and or Rescue Remedy from some rescuer or breeder living nearby you?

Most breeders wont risk fostering a feral, but many ARE helpsome as long they can do without risking the health of their own protegées.

If they are difficult to get into a normal carrier with small opening, you can try with a "carrier" with a big opening.  (if you dont have a carrier as Jcat tells about, and you are in a hurry).

Laundry basket of plastic. Common in Sweden and I suspect common in USA too?

Lay something cozy in the bottom.  Take the cat into the basket: easy with this BIG opening.

Lay the lid cover on.  Fasten it with some ropes, or tape...   Done!  

Merry Christmas!

Good luck!   *vibes*

jcat said:

 I used heavy leather gloves, put on a long-sleeved jacket and upended a cat carrier so that the opening was pointed upward and I could drop him in.

 

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Right, this is the standard to do if you must use a "normal" carrier with a reluctant cat.

Do also so with relucant home raised cats.

One or two additions: It is easier if you are two. The other is helping, by steadying when needed.

The cat will also probably spread his hind legs, not to be pushed into the opening. So the helper will take down this / these hind legs, and put them into the opening...   

If alone, you can also try to wrap the reluctant can in some nice towel.

When wrapped up, they tend to take it easy and get more submissive.

Such a wrapping in towel is better than taking wild wrestling matches or helding them with force...  

Also this tip works nicely with home cats too. For example if they do hate nail clipping.  

But with such a toga, clothed as an old Rome Senator, they do find themselves in the procedure.  

Thank you so much for the suggestions, and thank you, Stefan, for the kind words.

I never thought to use Feliway. I know they are just scared, I think more time here would have been the best bet, but I am so grateful I was able to find good homes with people willing to give them love and patience. And I am praying they will adjust a little quicker in their new homes since they will be separated from one another and will have to depend on their new owners.

I am a little nervous at another attempt today, I may chicken out until Monday!

Bless you SO very much for your kindness to the feral cat's who need you so.. How is the bite? Please, please take care of that and get to a doctor if you see much swelling and redness spreading. Good suggestions above. I would start feeding in a crate and sit quietly near the crate. Will this kitten eat in your presence, as this will help. You can just close the crate door once that kitten is in the crate. This could take a few days though. I wish you much luck and thank you for your great care and rescue of these kittens

Good news!

Yesterday morning I was able to get him into a carrier, it was so much easier and very quick. By the time I got home from delivering him to his new " mommy" , she had already left me a message that he was sitting on her shoulder and purring. I was so happy. It is so hard to take care of them and not get so attached. Now I can try to retrap the older kitten that remains and bring her inside too.

I am hoping in the future to build an outdoor enclosure on my property so that I can bring the 2 mom cats here. That way I won't have to worry about someone moving into that house and not wanting the cats there.

That's great, especially since he made up with his new mom so quickly!

I couldn't be happier to see this update!!!!!!!! Fantastic, wonderful news You did GOOD :bigthumb: I DO hope you get your wish someday - the outdoor cat enclosure :nod: Again, for all you have done for these cat's who need someone like you :heart3: I know it is hard NOT to get attached - but when they go to such loving homes - then it makes that little pain in our heart go away, quickly..... then you have room to save another and then another..... Keep up the great work you are doing

Thank you so much for the encouraging words! The three kittens that went to their new homes are all doing well, I could not be happier! One more young kitten to find a home for.

Two of the three older kittens are doing well too, they have great homes to go to when they are ready. The other one is finally coming out from under the bed and beginning to join in on play sessions. There is another older kitten I am hoping to get early next week. She runs to me when I arrive to feed them and gets pretty close.

I will probably be asking for advice on relocating the other cats to my property. The last week another cat has been at the house. I called the woman who took care of the cats before she moved and she remembered him from a year or so ago. So I guess he will need to be trapped and neutered.

I can't leave him there so I guess he will be joining the girls in my dream of an enclosure. I never see the other male, he was trapped and released. He was so beautiful,, clean and full. I hope he was an owned cat, I would never want to move the remaining cats and leave him to fend for himself. But for now I think I have to concentrate on the kittens here at my house and get them into their forever homes.

WOW You are really staying on top of this and have a good plan. Yes, concentrate on getting the kittens all homes first. Don't take on more than you can handle :lol3:. Then start to figure out how to get the remaining adult cat's onto your property. We can help you with that as well and offer suggestions. I have had to relocate quite a few ferals over the years and have had great success with them sticking around. But it does require confinement for at least a week and I used very large dog crates. OR . If you have an enclosure then problem solved :nod:...... I, too, dream of that for my ferals....... Keep us posted and more good luck vibes for kitten homes