Need Suggestions, Help, Desperate, Long

Hello Everyone,
I am new here. Prettyboy is the name of my cat.
Someone suggested that I come here to see if anyone
would know of an organization I am looking for.
My friend and I have been talking about trapping the new
cats we have been seeing in our yard/neighborhood and
getting them fixed, shots, etc. Unfortuately, we talked for
too long and now at least one of them is very preganant.
Neither one of us can take her in.
I live in a renovated garage and there would be no way to separate
her from my cat. My friend has a dog and a cat and would also
have to separate her from them and she does not have an extra
room to put them in with a door. The below is what I have been
emailing out to different organizations hoping to find an organization
that would take the pregnant mom cat(s) before she gives birth.
Sorry this is so long. If anyone knows of any organizations
in the NY/Long Island area that might do what I am looking for below,
please let me know. Thank you for reading this... and thank you in
advance for any help.... PB

Dear (whatever organization),
I have recently seen at least one very pregnant cat (maybe two) in our yard/neighborhood.
I am looking to find an organization that would be willing to take/keep the pregnant cat (s) until she gives birth and weans her kittens so that they then could be all fixed, shots and adopted out. If the mom cat is unadoptable (she may be feral ??) then I would take her back and re-release her into the yard. I would be willing to make payment arrangements
for the neutering/spaying, shots, food, etc., that would be needed for all of them.
I feel that if I could find someone / organization / foster home or whoever that could do this it would be so much better than waiting for the kittens to be weaned in the wild as then they would be already afraid of humans. Not to mention the danger they will be in until they are all finally trapped.

Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Any other organization you think I should contact please let me know.
Thank you for your time.

Prettyboy...a lot of organizations are full to the gills with cats and kittens. I understand that you cannot care for the mom and kittens..but do you know any friends, coworkers, family willing to take this cat?? Another possibility is that you could take her to the vet and see if they would be willing to "spay" her. Many vets can spay a pregnant cat as long as she isn't too far in her pregnancy. Obviously that would have to be a personal decision..but if you cannot find a place to take her and she can be spayed...I would say that would be the way to go.

Also...what about buying an inexpensive dog metal crate? You could put the mom in there with some food and a small litterbox..she wouldn't be able to get your cat and your cat wouldn't be able to get to her...but that would give her a chance to have her babies. I would still take her to the vet to see exactly how far along she is and have her checked over for possible mites, fleas etc. There are sooooo many kittens looking for homes right now.

Katie

I would suggest you contact a place like Neighborhood Cats to see about helping you with the trapping/fixing of the other cats in your neighborhood:

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/

Good Luck and thanks for caring about these cats.

Katie

Thank you TNR1. I actually sort of went through this during the
fall/winter 2002, which is how I ended up with my Prettyboy. He was
the last most difficult, most scared cat which is one of the reasons
why I ended up keeping him. The rest all got adopted out except for
the mama who is fixed and we are still trying to socialize her.
There really is no room where I live. I am in a renovated garage.
My friend who I spoke of might be able to keep a large cage in her basement ?
I will have to address that idea with her. I don't know anyone else that would even come
close to considering it as I asked everyone
I could think of 2 years ago when 2 litters of kittens showed up in our
yard. Not to mention that I think there may be 2 pregnant cats or more ?
Which is why I was hoping (dreaming) that I would luck out and find an
organization that takes or fosters pregnant cats.
Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it .... PB

Prettyboy...I completely understand where you are coming from...and I truly appreciate what you are doing for these cats. I volunteer with a rescue group and we get approached quite often right now about taking pregnant cats..the problem is..we can only take soo many..which is why I suggested you try to see about having this mother cat spayed before she has the kittens. For some individuals that is a sensitive subject and I can completely understand if you would prefer to look for any alternatives. Ask your friend about wire cage idea. Another idea is to try to build some kind of outdoor enclosure for this cat...one that allows her to have her babies..but not roam too far. Please contact Neighborhood cats about your situation..they may know an organization that can assist you.

Katie

TNR1, I will contact neighborhood cats as you suggested. If the
cat(s) (I think I have seen two pregnant ones) were not so far
along, (I can see fat bellies now) I guess I would be okay with
having them fixed while they are still pregnant. With one of the
female kittens I had fixed during the winter of 2002, she had been
about 6 months old, living in my apt with her 2 brothers, before I
had PB, he was still outside too scared to come near me, I had
thought there might be a chance she would be pregnant when I
brought her to the vet. I half expected them to say they fixed her
but she had been pregnant, but that was not the case. I asked if
she was and they said no. In that type of a situation where the cat
is so early on in pregnancy and they don't find out until they open
her up to operate, then I guess I would be okay with it ?? But, once
they are showing, I just don't think I could have a vet do that. Thank
you for the suggestion, though, I know a lot of people probably don't
know that. I am not offended, but I just don't think now that she/they
are showing as much as they/she is, that I want to do that.
I will contact those people you suggested and speak to my friend about
a cage in her basement. I don't think I want to do an outside shelter.
There are too many wild and loose animals in our neighborhood.
Thanks again ! PB

PB....good luck...let us know how it goes..and check back...many of the resident posters are from all over the world so some won't be visiting this site until later today/tonight. They may have other suggestions that I hadn't considered.

Katie

Prettyboy and I thank you TNR1/Katie !!
Janet/PB

Hi PB
Since I live near you I maybe able to help you or get you someone who can help. It is very late and I'm exhausted I just didn't want to loss this thread. I will email you my phone #. Goodnight for now.
Fern

Hi Fern/Feral,
that would be great. i have been in touch with someone at the
"A Home At Last" organization and although they are filled up and
can't help right now that did give me another name of a place that
will fix ferals, even pregnant ones should I decide to do that. She
also reminded me that if the mom cat is positive for aids and lukemia
then the kittens will be too and i had forgotten that. previously when
i did this during the fall/winter of 2002 i had all the cats/kittens that
i trapped tested first and then after the results proceed with getting
them all fixed,shots,dewormed,demited,flea baths, frontline and adopted
out. now with the situation being desparate as they look like they will
be giving birth soon, i am just not sure what to do, but now realize there
is more to take in to consideration. thank you in advance for any help
you could provide. talk to you soon.
PB/Janet

Janet

Before I setup a Petfinder homepage Dottie from "A Home At Last" used to list our cats. I just left a message with Michelle from "A Home At Last" offering my help.
Good luck
Fern

UPDATE: so I have caught some ferals but not the pregnant one.
and as Fern already knows there was quite a bit of time where
I did not even see the pregnant cat, who we have named Callie.
We finally saw her late last night but it was too dark to see if she
was still pregnant and she was running. I just saw her today, while
it is still light outside, and although she was running away from me,
so it was hard to be sure, it does not look like she is pregnant anymore.
I tried to follow her but lost her. I know the general area, so I may go
looking again, but I don't want to spook her. If she found a good place
to nest, I don't want her to feel like she has to move her kittens.
The mama I had fixed in 2002 would move her kittens every single time
she thought we were getting too close to them. It would be 2 days on
on property and 5-7 days off our property. Then back again. By her
doing this, two of her kittens got hit by cars before we could get to them.
They were all fixed and adopted out. She is fixed and we are socializing her.
My friend and I hope to adopt her and make her an inside kitty like ours.
Anyway, oh well, in the meantime I am getting the others that I catch
fixed, shots, and then re-releasing them after 2 days of boarding.
Fern, you have been great. Thanks for everything. Talk to you soon ! janet

Janet, you are doing a great job with these ferals. Thank you for caring.

I haven't done anything yet but your welcome anyway. You're doing a great job at TNR

Fern