6 kittens found in truck engine, help?!

Okay, I am now known as the cat lady in the hood.

Next door neighbor came and told me about cats
at the construction site he works at. He's been
feeding Momma, she had babies and they are
nesting in truck engine overnight.

They are 6/8 wks. They will need taming
.... and catching and fixing.

Understand I need a kitten
trap and the LCHS doesn't have one. Where
can I get a kitten trap? Will Shelter lend me one?

I plan to educate him about TNR, and if I catch
the babies and they prove social, to adopt out babies
IF IF IF I can. OTW will fix and return to site.
with the gent to keep watch over...

Anyway, can you all advise where to get kitten
trap, how to trap, and what to do once trapped?

Where do I get low cost spay neuter/shots? Mostly
I pay the LCHS 30 dollars and get fixed and rabies,
but that's about all I can afford on my finances...

TNR, do you have suggestions, and is there going
to be a mass clinic nearby soon, that I could take
these kittens to?

I've done the Momma Zazou route, but never kittens...

The spay/neuter clinic is this weekend...so I don't think you can bring them there. It's focused on Fairfax County right now.

As far as borrowing a kitten trap...you may want to call your local vet clinic and find out if they know of anyone who is performing TNR and has a trap....most of the time, I find that kittens actually come in a cat trap...so you can still try with a cat trap. You may catch 2 in the same trap..but better that than not trapping at all.

Below is a list of low cost clinics in Virginia:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#va

Katie

Katie, thanks. I was told by LCHS that you can't use a regular
cat trap on the kittens. Didn't know if that was true or not.

Will try at my vets. Low cost in Stauton is my best bed (not too far from
my home, only an hour plus drive.) It is a crime that my county doesn't do more for its animals in need.

I'll keep you posted!

Awww.... you are a sweetheart. I'm replying to these posts backwards, as I saw the sad boyfriend post first. Still sending lots of hugs!

Katie is definitely the VA resource - however, you may want to use a few other links to help:

http://www.pets911.com/organizations/organizations.php

Type in your zip, and start calling around.

Don't know if you already know about the Best Friends No More Homeless Pets campaign:

http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehom...ts/thenetwork/

Lots of options there, including just e-mailing to ask for help.

The link for low-cost spay/neuter resources in my signature line takes you to links to numerous sites that do not all have the same listings or resources.

You can also use the yellow pages - call around to local vets. See if they've got either a trap you can borrow or know of people who trap or that can help in some way. Don't get discouraged. You never know when you'll turn something up. All the vets within a wide radius know to take someone's number and give us a buzz.

And you can use a regular have-a-hart trap. They can be set for different sensitivity rates for the weight. It just has to be set to be very sensitive. And if the kittens are 6 - 8 weeks old, it will definitely work. There is lots of helpful information about trapping in this thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16045

I don't know if this ever got into that thread - but a good idea is to put enough kitty litter over the entire bottom of the trap to the point where the kitties won't feel the wire on their feet. Then when you pick up the trap, the litter just sifts through and gets left behind.

The most important thing is to make sure the trap is not left unattended for long. Best thing is to put food out in the trap several days in a row without the trap being set. Get kitties used to going in there to eat (if you can afford the time). On the day you want to trap them, put really smelly food in there, like a bit of herring (no sauces!!!!!!!!!!!) (Use a paper bowl).

When transporting them, make sure you cover the trap with a light blanket. This will help (a little) to keep them calm. Also make sure you cover your seat with plastic and then layers of disposable towels or paper towels or something, and then jerry the seatbelt around the trap to help hold it in place (you won't be able to buckle it, but you should be able to get it pulled around the far corner) - the kitties will in all probability be so scared they'll pee or poo.

As to being social? As feral kitties, it's unlikely they'll be too friendly straight off. They most likely will need fostering, by someone, to get used to all the new sites and sounds of a home - and to learn that people can be trusted.

If you want links to info about socializing, or adoption papers, or about things to do to help get kitties adopted, just let us know.

Thank you for rescuing these little ones!!!!!!!!!!!!! They need someone's help.

And if you have to return them after being fixed because you can't make the commitment to them, just remember that you've helped prevent more homeless cats.

And don't forget - you (or the gent from the site) can always continue to put out food for them. They'll be like a little feral colony! And maybe some of the construction workers will want to adopt them for their families. You never know!

Laurie