It's a somewhat lengthy story but I'll do my best to keep it concise. We moved into a new house several months ago. The landlord lived out on the land next to the shop in a travel trailer. She had three cats. We have 5 dogs, none of whom are fond of cats. Over the course of the past several months her work situation changed and some family business came up and she relocated. She did not tell us this. However she left behind her cats. Obviously I was displeased. We live far out from the city, in the country near the river and a lot of orchards and pastures. There are ample hunting grounds for a cat. However, I wasn't aware the not neither of her female cats were fixed. I am only sure that two of them are female as of this moment. One had kittens in the top loft of the shop in an old tire in a plastic bag. They were almost dead when the land owners son found them. She told me that she was taking the mama cat and the kittens to someone who could care for them. This was before she moved. Two days ago I went into the shop and was moving some things and saw the tiniest little kitten and it puffed up and hissed and growled at me. I could not find the mom cat anywhere. I contacted the owner, whom at this point had not even told me she had moved, and she told me there were four kittens and she wasn't sure where they were but they were probably just out living in the shop. It is a rather large building with a loft but full of boxes, furniture, tools, and other such items. Definitely no place for kittens especially considering the heat has been around 100 to 110 daily. Upon inspecting the area I found all four kittens. Three of them were fairly lethargic. One is very scrawny and much smaller than the other. They all had eyes open and could walk fairly well except the scrawny one.
Now, I have been attending school to become a veterinarian, however had never finished due to the fact that my third child was born disabled and I could never go back to school as of yet. I could not imagine leaving the kittens in that condition. Due to my animal loving nature already have everything I would need to take care of them including kitten milk, antibiotics if they needed it, etcetera. The owner gave me permission to remove the kittens, however not the mama cat. I have taken them into my home and kept them and a place secluded from my dogs. This should be between 4 to 5 weeks. They all have sharp little teeth and are beginning to play and strengthen up after a few meals of the kitten milk I provided. I had to syringe feed them as they had no idea how to drink from a bowl. Today I did get them to drink from a bowl however.
My dilemma is this, I have overwhelming guilt removing the kittens from the mama cat but I know that had I left them out there they would become feral and produce only more kittens eventually. I plan on weaning onto wet cat food in the next 5 days and start litter training tomorrow.
Of course I will do all of their vaccinations as well. I have checked up on Momma cat and she seems to be doing okay. Well continue to check up on her. Did I do the right thing here or should I have just let nature take its course? If anyone has any helpful input I have an open ear.
Now, I have been attending school to become a veterinarian, however had never finished due to the fact that my third child was born disabled and I could never go back to school as of yet. I could not imagine leaving the kittens in that condition. Due to my animal loving nature already have everything I would need to take care of them including kitten milk, antibiotics if they needed it, etcetera. The owner gave me permission to remove the kittens, however not the mama cat. I have taken them into my home and kept them and a place secluded from my dogs. This should be between 4 to 5 weeks. They all have sharp little teeth and are beginning to play and strengthen up after a few meals of the kitten milk I provided. I had to syringe feed them as they had no idea how to drink from a bowl. Today I did get them to drink from a bowl however.
My dilemma is this, I have overwhelming guilt removing the kittens from the mama cat but I know that had I left them out there they would become feral and produce only more kittens eventually. I plan on weaning onto wet cat food in the next 5 days and start litter training tomorrow.
Of course I will do all of their vaccinations as well. I have checked up on Momma cat and she seems to be doing okay. Well continue to check up on her. Did I do the right thing here or should I have just let nature take its course? If anyone has any helpful input I have an open ear.
