2 Kittens we've been caring for may find a home, but

I cannot be sure that they will be okay in this home. They are 100% outdoors right now.

Our plan was to trap them, have them fixed, release them and try for adoption. A couple really, really wants both of them. My fear is they are too used to the outdoors and will not make good indoor cats. I can't go and fix them now because they clip the ears and the new owners don't really love that idea. Which I understand. They would prefer to get them fixed on their own.

Here's my further dilemma. I would say they are 4 months old, for sure. They still don't come to me. They talk to me all the time, they want me to come and play with them, and they are on a feeding schedule. They want to be near me, and they get kind of close. Just never close enough.

Today I was finally trying with some wet food. It was working. They were really wanting that food bad enough to come even closer.

I could probably have touched 'wash's' head but I was not at all taking chances. I need to buy some safety gloves first. 

What do you think is the best idea at this time? Still trying to find them a home (even though I'm sure we've found one) or allowing them to live outside with no care? We are moving in 7 months and cannot take them with us. We have 4 of our own that and is all that we can handle. 

Any advice would be great. My Fiancee and I love them already, so much. We just want to do the right thing by them. 

Are they boys? If so, there is no big hurry with the neutering.  It can be done in the new home yes.

Another idea: as you do have hot candidates who are willing to pay. So let them pay.

Ie, you catch, preferably in trap or some trickly  arranged carrier. Take to vet, paying the normal fee, payed by the candidates, ie no ear clipping.

You begin the fostering, and after a while and some intro, you move them over to the forever owners.

Try to arrange it as so. 

Im almost sure they will accept living as pure indoors.  It is easier to get ex homeless into pure indoors, than an owned, happy in-outside cat into pure indoors.

If you dont have anything especial [edit: against] these candidates - take them!  Folks who gladely are willing to adopt ex semiferales, understanding they will be shy and must have some fostering, and lots of patience and love, before they become really good family pets (although somewhat shy to strangers), and BOTH of them -  they dont grow on trees...

Or did I missunderstood something?

Good luck!

Thank you for your input. Means a lot!

One of my friends just told me that sometimes people will contact you for free kittens so others can feed them to their snakes! OMG that was horrible for me to think of. To be honest, the woman on the phone sounded sincere. I would like nothing more than to see these babies have a loving family.

ckovacs said:

 sometimes people will contact you for free kittens so others can feed them to their snakes! OMG that was horrible for me to think of.

Click to expand...

Oh yes, it may happen. Although in these cases it is small kittens.

Others wants sparring to their Pitbulls...

So the remedy is simple:

1.  Do always, always, take payment, an adoption fee!  If it is awkward to ask for money, ask the adopter pay in a sum to a charity you both do agree on.  IN THE CATS NAME.

Of course, a natural payment is return for the spaying, etc...  spare the recipes.

Best is prob to both have back money for spaying, AND some sum for charity.

It makes a magical bond; noble feelings of contribution to a good cause, connected with the cat.

The ONLY exception, is if the cat is given, and taken, as a precious gift.  Say, to a handicapped child with poor parents, who need company of the cat to love it, but dont affort to buy.

2.  Two, some screening, ie interviewing the adopters, is standard and highly recommended.  This way, you hopefully see who are whackers, and who are serious.

Maybe even some form of contract.

We had treads about such screening and proposal for contracts.

Good luck!

I would not worry about the kittens adjusting in a new indoor home.  They are young.  While it will require patience, it is more than doable.

If the couple would be willing to take them right away, I trap them.  Ask the future owners which regular, non ear tipping vet that they would like to use.  Take these kittens to the vet upon trapping so that they can get neutered/spayed, and have the new owners pay for the service when they pick up the cats.  They can then begin to tame the kittens themselves in their new home.  This way the couple gets the cats at a young, trainable age, no ear tipping is done, you are sure that the spaying will be done, and it will be obvious that they are willing to invest money into them. 

You should talk to the potential adopters, make sure they're up for socializing semi-feral kittens, and that they understand all that's involved. Ask about their plans for socializing, that kind of thing---just open a dialogue. I think you can get a pretty good feel for them that way. If they have a clear plan for how they're going to handle this, it's not likely they have ulterior motives---why waste time thinking up an action plan if they're just going to do something bad to the kittens?

I also agree with dropping the kittens off at the vet of their choice. That way nothing is left to chance, especially if one or both are female, as they'll be going into heat soon.

We have spoken with Wash and Kaylee's new parents a lot. They are very, very excited to have them. They have an entire basement dedicated to them for now until they full adjust to them, and indoor life. I think this is going to be so good.

I started feeding Wash and Kaylee wet food last night so they would allow me closer. Not only did they, but I have been able to pet them. They wont come to me freely yet for petting. Only when they are eating. There is however no aggression during their eating, with me petting them. That is a really, really good thing. 

These two love seeing me, love having me around, try to follow me up 3 flights of stairs to my place, etc.

The current new family coming for them on Sunday had their last two cats all the way till they passed. So I think I found a great fit.

Other than that I have had a lot of emails inquiring about the two  of them. I am so happy the response is good because there is another kitten (maybe more) born in my neighborhood. I might have to do this again!

I have 2 traps for 2 weeks so once Wash and Kaylee are gone, I will be using them to trap other cats in the area for spaying/neutering. 

I am so sad to see Wash and Kaylee go after taking care of them since they were 7 weeks old. But I know it's the best thing for them, and in the end, me. 

Splendid!   Beaming!

So they are willing to do the fostering themselves?  Surely best so, as they are willing.

 I though YOU would do the preliminary fostering, but better so. yes

You can of course give them adresse here, so they can have our support, give reports, and ask any questions they want, directly to us.

They should of course Wash and Kaylee are from yours place.  

Good luck!

It didn't work out. Little Kaylee is asleep next to me right now. Wash isn't working out with her new family so she is coming home.

Bummer!   What went wrong, the adopters sounded so promising?

Once we caught wash, Kaylee said no way! The adoptive parents didn't want to wait. We even said we would bring them to them.

It's easy for me to say, but if you feel this adoptive family doesn't have the commitment please take Wash back as soon as possible - it is very hard on them to get jerked around from one home to another and can set back the socialization work you've done.    I remember when I was adopting out two feral kittens I had tamed - I had such a hard time finding people with the level of responsibility and commitment I wanted!   It felt like every flake in the city had to call me.   Or maybe just nobody was good enough for my kittens, lol, my issue there.    Anyway, I wish you luck no matter how it works out.