Carrying for 15 Feral Kittens Advice Needed

dawndan92

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Hi Everyone,

Okay here is the situation. I currently have 15 feral/friendly kittens living in my home. We have another foster home that has 8 feral/friendly kittens. These kittens are being taken care of and socialized in order to be adopted to forever homes. We are part of a T-N/V-R program here in North Carolina.

Situation 1 - We can't figure out who has the loose stool! Okay I'm sure this is a game for the kittens, but someone or perhaps more than one has loose and at times slightly bloody stools. So, when I see someone go into the laundry room where the litter boxes are, I carefully and quietly try to peak. Well, there are usually a couple of them just standing around in there and no one owns up to the poop! Is there a way to just treat everyone mind you these are feral cats, so handling them is not an easy task at times, especailly when it comes to medications.

Situation 2 - We are fitting worms constantly. The Drontal costs us $5 a pill and we've had over 50 kittens come through since May. Some times they need to be treated more than once. This is huge financial burden on us, is there something else we could use? The strongid has not given us any real affective solution either. We'd love to use Revolution since it is a wonderful product and takes care of so many of the problem we are dealing with but it just way too expensive for so many kittens.

Situation 3 - Trying to contain URI. Okay, as soon as someone looks ill they are quarintined, however, by then they passed it to someone else, and so on and so on. It's like they are playing tag...your it...tag your it. I'm constantly trying to give meds to sick kittens! Any suggestion on how to stop the cycle.

I'm new to this...really just wanted to get a kitten for my FIL for Father's Day and somehow, yet happily, got caught up in this saving of the kittens!

Any insight anyone can offer would be most helpful.

Thanks
Dawn Wilkins
 

hissy

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dawn,

are you doing this all in your home? that is a lot of kittens for one home, do you have enough room? have you spoken to the vet about lowering the cost of the meds? generally tapeworms is only one application unless you don't give enough meds to the cat. roundworms is two or three applications. the stuff you buy on the shelves isn't effective, and some can be downright dangerous.

about the bloody stool- it can be almost anything from parasites to bad food to just an irritation of the gut to a bacterial infection. hard to say without knowing which kitten is responsible for it and having a fecal done.

sounds like you need a benefactor.
 
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dawndan92

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Yes, they are all in our home and actually its kind of funny because when people come over they can't believe that there are that many kitties here! They all are here and there, the only time you know they are all here is when its "feeding" time! The babies are in a cage, but the rest once they've lost that real feral behavior is let out into the general population as we call it. Those that are sick get quarentined. Most are in bedrooms under or on beds or top of the couches. Trust me, if we had more foster homes, I certainly would not have so many. But, we've been lucky in placing them. My boys and I counted that we've had 40+ kittens come through the house since May of this year!

We do get some discounts from the area vets which is fantastic especially when we have little ones that come to us so sick. And, we have been blessed with quite a few that have given us money for spay/neuters of the ferals and stepped up and paid some vet expenses. But unfortunately, its still not enough. We avoid the over the counter stuff and get our meds from the vet's but even with the discount, we still are paying a lot for each kitty.

Yes, we need some "crazy cat person" to leave all their money to us. I use the crazy cat term with love and affection as I too am a crazy cat person!

Thanks for the input!
 

opilot

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I live in the No. Va area near DC.
Don't know if it will help, but if the vet will let you, can
you get him/her to write a standing prescription for the wormers, and
fill it through 10800petmeds or a similar website?

http://www.nationalpetmeds.com/?AFFID=NP&ID=20

http://www.1800petmeds.com/

Also, I don't know for sure but I hear that many
feed stores will sell wormers and stuff like that
for less than the vets. Southern States or something like that?

Just my 2 cents and you may already have done this -
 

beckiboo

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It sounds like you are performing miracles! Ask at the pet feed stores, since you are rescuing, maybe they will donate torn bags of food to you.

I guess you could try to separate the kittens, so they are shut in different rooms, in case one gets sick. Then they don't transfer it to someone else. Of course, it may lessen their contact with humans.

Do you get a spay neuter contract, or s/n before adoption?
 
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dawndan92

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S/N contract is a must for the little ones and we follow up. Last year we had a 99% success rate of confirmed S/N we are hoping for the same this year! If they are 5 months old and still in foster care we have them S/N. The crazy thing is they turn so fast. I sent one away Wednesday for S/N and she was returned yesterday with URI, she looked just aweful. One minute they look fine the next minute your going what the heck happened to you! Then into quarentine, but by then I'm sure its been passed to someone else. I guess I am looking for a mircle. Some magic solution that I can put in their food or water that will take care of the any ills they might have. POOF! Everyone good and healthy.

Thank you all for your input and I will check with the feed store and see if they have anything to help us out. I know they have the vaccines, but we were able to get the cheaper off the internet.
 
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