Animal control!

Piglet and Eeyore's owner tells me that Animal Control left a note yesterday that she is to be inspected within 24 hours. She reports her home is a disaster. Is it possible for them to take all her animals? She said that her town has no limit for # of pets, but only if you have a clean house.

Does anyone know? I am so concerned for her and her other animals...3/4 Lhasa Apso dogs, and adult cats. My rescue can take her kittens and adopt them out, but she has additional adult cats. I'm at 14 cats currently, so adding her 8 kittens until we find foster homes will put me WAY over what I can handle! And the rescues all seem to be full. I just don't know what to say, but can't imagine them giving one day before they take your pets.

Oh no! That is terrible!! I hope you find someone to take her pets while she gets her house in order!

Thanks. It is just to horrible to think that all her precious pets will be taken, and likely euthanized, since they probably aren't properly socialized...if they are anything like Piglet and Eeyore who are so extremely shy!

Is there an update on this situation? I've been worried about it!

Oh dear! I really hope homes were found for these kitties!

Any updates?

Does inspected meen they are just going to look at the situation or does it meen they are actually going to take them.

Everybody is gone! All the dogs are at animal control...she had a hearing today to see if she could get them back. They tried to get the cats, but the officers scared them so much that the cats scattered. Thank goodness, because that gave me time to get the kittens. They have been moved to a new foster home tonight.

The adult cats went to a temporary housing. Hopefully animal control will let her have at least part of the dogs, and the adult cats back.

Let this be a lesson to any animal hoarders...if you are not keeping the living conditions sanitary, they can take your animals. This is a repeat offender, but my heart is breaking for her.

This did apply the pressure necessary for her to be able to turn 9 kittens over to my agency. They are pretty wild, but I hope they will tame up with lots of attention.

Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She has had some offers of help, but it will still take a miracle for her to be able to overcome this. And prayers that the kittens will all tame and find homes.

My agency is simply overrun with kittens...every day is kitten season. I fear that some of them will not find forever homes. Please...please...if you know anyone with an unaltered cat, give them a severe lecture about the need to spay and neuter so the rescues can stand a chance of finding homes for all the excess kittens out there!

Here is the youngest, Inchy.

The "rescue" that I got Bakker from I think she was a hoarder too. The place stunk terribly and not to clean is putting it mildly!! I think I rescued him from that place!! Good luck in handling your new additions.

Here is a link to more pics.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...09#post1314009

I sent the 9 kittens to a new foster home tonight, so they can all go to the vet for vaccinations and speuters. And although they seemed fine with it, to me having 15 cats in one room is just too much. I am sad to see them go, though! (Fostering is hard sometimes....you don't want too many, then you are sad when they leave or get adopted!)

Which agency do you work with? I'm not certain, given Emma's territorial nature and "diva" personality, that I'd be able to foster but would love to help these kitties in any way I can, and I know I'm near you. PM me if there's anything I can do: my heart just breaks for these poor babies!

Although these cats aren't feral, having always been inside, I believe they will act as a feral kitten does. In other words, frightened of humans, but fine with other cats. They have grown up in a multicat household, and are shy and used to being low on the totem pole. I had Inchy for a few days before I saw his stubby tail held upright.

So I bet they would adjust well to your cats. Incoming PM.

I'm keeping you in my thoughts & prayers. I also hope that the lady gets help- hoarding is a mental disorder...many times, the hoarders think that they are "helping" the animals....yet don't understand the consequences of their hoarding behaviors. I know, i've seen too many cases of it and have had to rescue too many animals as a result- the court, although you may feel bad for her, made the right decision- she does not need any animals right now. She needs to concentrate on getting help for her disorder and cleaning up her environment. If she shows improvement- she can always readdress the court at a later date. Until then, she does not need any animals. Please don't think of me as being harsh- i'm simply being honest....the worst hoarding case i've ever seen involved over 300 persians and othe kitties.....ALL of the newborns were dead.. litter, feces and urine was everwhere....no food , no water- over 1/2 the cats were dead....many had to be humanely put down because they were sooo sick and injured..and the ones that were salvageable, we had to shave down completely and put in foster homes for months to socialize them...those wound up with good homes. Hoarding is a mental disorder...it will never improve or get better until it is addressed as such. By having animal control take those animals and your rescue group- you are really doing the lady a favor..now she has time to get help and take control of her life. My prayers are with you- the animals are much better off now.

Thank you for the update - I'm so sorry to hear that, but if she's a repeat offender, maybe now she'll get some help.

I'm sending vibes out that all those poor furbabies are placed in good furever homes very quickly!!!

Wow, I hope everything works out for the innocent vistims of this situation.... those poor kitties, I'm glad you were able to get the kittens into foster homes

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I'm keeping you in my thoughts & prayers. I also hope that the lady gets help- hoarding is a mental disorder...many times, the hoarders think that they are "helping" the animals....yet don't understand the consequences of their hoarding behaviors. I know, i've seen too many cases of it and have had to rescue too many animals as a result- the court, although you may feel bad for her, made the right decision- she does not need any animals right now. She needs to concentrate on getting help for her disorder and cleaning up her environment. If she shows improvement- she can always readdress the court at a later date. Until then, she does not need any animals. Please don't think of me as being harsh- i'm simply being honest....the worst hoarding case i've ever seen involved over 300 persians and othe kitties.....ALL of the newborns were dead.. litter, feces and urine was everwhere....no food , no water- over 1/2 the cats were dead....many had to be humanely put down because they were sooo sick and injured..and the ones that were salvageable, we had to shave down completely and put in foster homes for months to socialize them...those wound up with good homes. Hoarding is a mental disorder...it will never improve or get better until it is addressed as such. By having animal control take those animals and your rescue group- you are really doing the lady a favor..now she has time to get help and take control of her life. My prayers are with you- the animals are much better off now.

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Yeah, I know you are right! Thankfully, she had a fairly limited number of kitties...but as they were reproducing, it was getting out of hand, quick!

Do you have any special insight into helping tame the kittens?

First off...what are the ages and sexes of the kittes, and have they been spayed/neutered yet???

Secondly, buy some vanilla extract, or something no-toxic to kitties along those lines and put a pinch on each kitty- between the shoulder blades, and on the tips of their noses...that way they all smell the same and will be less inclinded to attack each other. Also put some on your clothes and hands so that you will smell the same to them and be less of a threat. I also recommend you keep the new fosters away from your animals in a seperate room if you haven't already. I've heard wonderful things about Feliway- you might want to buy some at your local pet store and put it in the room with the kitties- it helps the kitties relax. Next i suggest making the new room you have the kitties in as comfortable for them as you can....multiple litter pans, plenty of food & water dishes, perches, places to sleep & climp, catnip and catgrass plants, toys....Make their environment feel like home so they will adjust more kindly to their new surroundings.

Also, if any of the kitties have aggression issues- i suggest trimming their nails and putting SoftClaws on them to prevent injuries. As far as taming the kitties go...once they are born feral...or abused to the point where they are afraid of human contact....the main things to remember are time and patience. I suggest playing some soft music in the room for the kitties, Then go into the middle of the room and sit down ..you want to be on their level-not towering over them....that way you can make eye contact with them and they won't see you soo much as a giant or a threat . Sit in the middle of the room and place yummy kitty treats in a small circle around you...also have some in your hand. The thing to remember when socializing kitties- is to let them come to you first. That way things are on their terms and they feel safer in a new environment...If you approach them first, they may run or fight back if they see you as a threat. It takes a while sometimes, but patience is key...Sit in the floor...and let them come to you. It may take a while and you may have to start out only spending 5 minutes in the room...let them get used to seeing you for 5 minutes, then spend 10 minutes in the room...the more familiar and less threatening you become, the more likely they are to approach you. Also, when they do come up to you and allow you to touch them, gently begin stroking you hands down their back...that way, when you get ready to brush them, they will be less frightened and more used to being handled...also, if they will let you, open their mouths, play with their feet, look in their ears- get them accustomed to being touched and handled, that way if they ever need a bath or a trip to the emergency vet, it will be that much easier- but remember...ease them into this over time...not all at once. Once the kitties are accustomed to seeing you as a non-threatening thing, then you should try standing in the same spot of the room for a few minutes....let them get used to you moving around in a circle around the room- it sounds silly, but it will really make a difference with frightened kitties- the thing is to adjust them slowly over time. Also, look into having them spay/neutered if you haven't already. Lots of low cost vet clinics do wonderful work. Or if you volunteer out of a shelter they might spay them for you. Having them altared will cut down on termperment issues and calm them down a bit. But until then, keep the males seperate from the females if they haven't all been fixed. I also suggest sleeping with some clean kitty bedding and getting your scent on it then placing it throughout the room that the kitties are in....this will help them grow accustom to your scent and see you as less of a threat. I also highly recommend picking up a copy of "Cats for Dummies"...that book is incredable! It has wonderful ideas covering everything from grooming to socializing kitties . I have found it to be such a helpful reference over the years. I really recommend checking it out from your local libary- the tips and ideas in there are priceless


Also, once the kitties grow accustom then you can begin to introduce them to new noises and sounds that are common in households...things that they would hear in a normal home....vaccume cleaners, dish washers, microwaves, can openers...when they are ready. This way, the transition from your foster home into a forever home will be that much easier. I'm sure there is a lot of stuff i've left out....it's 2:30am in Memphis (i'm up with the foster kittens )...But if you think of anything else, please feel free to pm me. I'm sending you lots of vibes! Those kitties are lucky to have you looking after them right now I know how hard it can be, please feel free to pm me if there's any way i can help you....also, if the kittens are really young, please keep them warm and check out www.kitten-rescue.com
If you come up with any more questions, i'd be happy to try and answer them for you. Have a lovely night!

Any updates today???

The kittens are about 3-4 months old. All the boys are spayed except Inchy, the youngest. Only one of the girls is spayed, so far. My foster agency pays for all the vet fees. In fact, everyone went back to the vet today, and I will hear about how it went tomorrow. They all needed blood tests and vaccinations.

They are staying at another foster home in a cage until they are up to date on vaccinations and pass the vet tests. Then they will probably be split up among foster homes. I think that it would be best for them to join other kittens who have been properly socialized. They are already coming to the front of the cage to see the new fosterer. I think they need to be kept away from the scared adults in order to tame.

These babies were not abused, simply neglected. They have never been without food and water. They have always been exposed to the owner, but since the older cats were undersocialized, some of the kittens learned to run and hide, too.

I have not seen any aggression towards people. They do try to pull away when you pick them up, but if you scruff them you can hold them. (I have only done this with the tamer ones.)

I was hoping to bring a few of them home this weekend (after vaccinations), to put with my house cats. However, my in and out cat has fleas, so I need to do some serious treatments before bringing more fosters home!

Thanks for the update!!! I hope all goes well with the tests on the kittens . I think it is very wise to socialize them with kittens who have already been accustom to human interaction and behave well. I hope all goes well! Also if your indoor,outdoor kitties are having flea issues- Feline Frontline works wonders