Too many cats...

What have I done?

I live in a rented townhouse with my husband and 6 - Six! Cats. The management here is very lenient towards pets, obviously - but we want to move. We started out with four, and about a year ago we rescued a female who we didn't intend to keep, but who turned out to be pregnant. She had five kittens in April 2005 and we found homes for three of them. We wanted to keep one of them, and give the mama and the remaining kitten away.

Well, long story short, the kitten we don't want to keep has some behavior problems (very shy and pees everywhere), plus he is attached to his mother and brother. I just finished reading an earlier thread on separating brothers, and I am afraid of the emotional consequences for the cats if I separate them. But we can't keep them all! Am I being too sentimental? My husband says I am, and that, after all, when we got rid of the other kittens none of them seemed to be traumatized in any way - but this was months ago.

I would at least like to see the mother and brother placed in a home together, but now am worried about the remaining brother who we will keep.

Sounds tough to me. hmm...What would Leah do? I dont really know. lol, cuz it's so sad giving ANY kitty away that you have bonded with. That's why I think the Foster Familes for kittys, need a big thumbs up, and a year of free kitty food. lol. (a big thank you for the foster families)

But anyway...Maybe you could find a home for the mom, and her two remaining kids. But it'd have to be goodone. Inspect them out, make them pay some money, and let them know you want them to be safe and happy. You will miss them, But then know they have a good home. Sounds like maybe you might have too many kitties for right now.

I dunno, I really dont because if I were in your shoes (which it's REALLY hard for me not adopt any kitties I see anywhere, and I'd hate to give any away)
I would think just talk it over with your hubby about what the both of you think would be best.

Is there any way you can keep the other kitten and adopt out the mother so the 2 brothers can grow up together? The kitten you're planning on keeping will probably be ok alone growing up with your other cats, but I think the shy kitten should probably stay with either his brother or mother. But, who knows, when I got Meowser, he was the last kitten left in his litter (he was a funny looking kitten, he had to grow into his face ), incredibly shy, extremely attached to his mom. I brought him home and he did the requisite hiding, being scared of me, but then he warmed up to me and REALLY bonded to me. And he's fine now, very well-adjusted to me and the kitty I brought home 4 months after I got him. I guess it's just a question of reevaluating how many cats can fit in your house. Don't stress out about it, I don't think any decision you make will scar any of these cats for life or anything like that.

We are really attached to the one kitten, and he seems more independent than his brother. The brother is attached to the mother, so my solution is to find a home that will take the brother AND the mother. I am just worried about the brothers missing each other. Of course I worried about this when we gave away the other kittens and they did fine, although like I said it was months ago.

If the kitten and mother stay together then he will probably not miss his brother so much, and hte other kitten will have the other cats to bond with. In my case, the brothers had only had each other for some time and remained very bonded when I got them, so it was different.