3 orphaned strays(photos) - time to say goodbye? Seeking advice

[djoe]

Hey. Luckily therr ia no sign of infection or inflammation. She seems perfect, but there is an obvious change in behaviour and attitude.
I haven't been feeling well lately so I sleep alot. I take her with me to bed and she sleeps non stop too! She cuddlea on my neck and sleep for hours. I will keep an eye on the stitches and make sure she eats well.

I am so panicked about leaving the country and leaving them in some backyard....

 

[kittychick]

Females are often more cuddly post spay. Since you have to leave the country - since you know she's a wonderful kitty, is there anyone you could bring her to where you're going? I'm just brainstorming out loud...I'm not exactly versed in ways to find cats homes in Japan. But maybe - if you know anyone where you're going to next - someone would be willing to take her once you get there? She sounds so sweet - and has such a great story - maybe someone would appreciate her loving special nature as much as you! I know it would mean traveling with an extra cat, but if there were a home waiting for her on the other end it might be worth it?!?! Or maybe Lucy would tolerate her more now that she's feeeling better - and that the "new kitty" isn't overflowing with hormones?? Just a couple of thoughts!

Please please please keep us posted!

Thinking happy thoughts!

 

[djoe]

Hey all,
The 3 of them are doing great...except the bump is still in cynthia's tummy. The vet said they could be the stitches and that he will see that when I take Lucy to remove her stitches.

Cynthia is just becoming more loving and tender everyday and the boys are soo good to her.

I took them out to play outdoors the other day; they were scared first but then they were all over the place. Cynthia though didn't seem too keen on getting away from me as much as the boys. But I could tell they were having fun getting dirty.

Unfortunately, my work requires me to go to countries where even humans are not always that well treated... but I was thinking I keep all three of them with me anywhere I go but it will be hell for them to travel as muvh as I do, and I can't endanger them if I ever go (very likely) to a country where vets are not qualified or if I get a mission where family and pets are not allowed. I would be doing them harm.

Now the best option ahead is to out them in a relative's frontyard. It had too danger factors - they can easily cross the fence to the bushes and they will be in proximity to the street.

I tremble of just the thought of something hapenning to them. I woukd never forgive myself.

They wont be allowrd inside and they wont be cuddled but they will be fed and given shelter and a few fruity trees to climb. Iy is not ideal.

the other option is that cat colony garden where they will be fed and fenced in the garden.

Lucy stays here with the family (and the parrot). She never goes with me for the above mentioned reasons.

There is no easy choice to make here.is there.

 

[happybird]

What a tough spot to be in
I'm so glad to hear all three are doing well after the surgeries. I know you hate to split them up, but is it possible to find a new home for just Cynthia? From your description, she sounds a bit more dependant than the boys. The boys sound like they would do well in and enjoy the garden or the cat colony. It might be easier to place one cat instead of all three at the same time.

 

[kittychick]

I agree - fi there's any way possible to place Cynthia with someone - she sounds like she's gotten SO loving!!!! If that's at all possible that is. I don't know what kind of work you do - is it possible to ask people you work for/with? Do you have some kind of company newsletter where you could place information about her? Or if you passed info on to a place like this (cat site) could I place it somewhere online so that she could find another home before you move? Not knowing much about what you do or where you are, I may ne making dopey suggestions - but I'm trying! She (and you) deserve so much!

Kittychick

 

[djoe]

Hey there.
I am now in Lebanon (not sonanimal friendly) and here is the adoption announcements I put up.Que - Animals Lebanon - http://www.animalslebanon.org/companion-animals/animals-for-adoption/kit/1058-que
Geb - Animals Lebanon - http://www.animalslebanon.org/companion-animals/animals-for-adoption/kit/1056-geb
Cynthia - Animals Lebanon - http://www.animalslebanon.org/companion-animals/animals-for-adoption/kit/1057-cynthia


I think I should try another organisation. This one may be not so popular! I don't know...

 

[djoe]

I used to live in Belgium for the past 3 years (but with constant travel to afghanistan and pakistan where i lived earlier) and I am going there next month for paperwork and I thought tl ask organizations there... I can take them along if anyone is interested...

 

[kittychick]

I went to the links - you did a great job describing them, photos, etc. I also sent a note with the links to a friend of mine who's from Lebanon. She's here in the states - but thought maybe she'd have some suggestions - or even know someone who might know someone who'd be willing to take one or more in ----you never know! So I'll let you know if I hear of anything!!!!

And I think checking out organizations in Belgium is a great idea - even taking them along if possible doesn't sound like a bad idea! Often if someone holds a kitten - they fall a little deeper in love than they do over the internet!

Keep us posted - and if I hear anything from my Lebanese friend I'll let you know.

 

[happybird]

Wow, I agree, the ads and photos are great! I'll keep my fingers crossed and send positive vibes for an adopter.

 

[djoe]

Thank you all...we are getting tight on time. I sincerely hope smth works out.

Today I came home to find Qays limping of his left arm...I tjink tbe pain is in the shoulder. Last week he hurt his hip! And 2 month ago he hurt his right front ankle. .and I noticed he doesn't dare to jump as smooth as the others...he is worrying me...
He normally gets better overnight. I hope he will be better tomorrow.

 

[annie marie]

I just got a stray that I took in spayed and she still jumped, just not very high. She jumped on a bed with no frame for the first 5 days, then she jumped on a bed with a frame as I moved her to my bedroom/bathroom area. Bless your heart for allowing these kittens a chance to live, and THANK YOU for sacrificing your money on their spay/neuters and vet care.. believe me, after about $450 for this one cat, I know that it can put a dent in your wallet.. especially since you even lived in a car for a few nights. With all of that said, I will go ahead and echo what many others have said: No cat is ready to live on their own at 9 weeks of age in the wild. ALSO, even if you have "taught them" how to hunt.. it's not the same lessons a cat would teach them. Cats speak the same language.. we can only do our best to try to get them to understand us. There's a lot more that cats learn about the outside than hunting as well.. hiding, not approaching any other living thing unless you want to fight, etc. Cats raised from being hand fed and cared for are, in my opinion, NEVER going to safely live in the wild, regardless of weather or not it's the countryside or the city. They're going to depend on food sources from others, they're going to crave companionship, they're going to get into fights, eat birds and mice with parasites and get fleas, mites, worms, etc.

Are you in the US? Or a different country? I don't know how these things work in other countries, but you MUST have some sort of site similar to www.petfinder.com or www.craiglist.com ... if a shelter won't take them in and find homes for them, maybe you could rehome them yourself through these types of websites?

Again thank you for taking the time to care for these kittens, and give so much love to them. Like I said, having taken in a cat for the first time myself recently, I know the stress that you feel. I made the decision to get my stray spayed, and found out that she was pregnant with kittens (late term pregnancy) and the vet performed an abortion on her.. the receptionist said she was "full of kittens" and I felt like a horrible human being. I am in favor of women having the right to choose an abortion or not, but I felt like I took the decision away from the cat because a cat can't comprehend anything!!! It was awful. But I knew I had to do it for her to have a better life. My vet told me the average life span for a cat born or living in the wild (countryside or city) is 3 years.. so by making the decision to take her in and get her spayed, I extended her life by 10 years, and there are already too many unwanted cats in this world. You just have to try to take it day by day, and you need to decide what to do.

As was discussed, 9 weeks is too early to release them into the wild. In my opinion, releasing them at all would be irresponsible because they were fortunate enough to know what it was like to be cared for. You said your family doesn't have a good opinion of cats, so I'm not sure how your family would feel about caring for them as outside cats, as you stated they would if you left them in the countryside. I think it's best to try to rehome them yourself. Having a stable living situation is a huge requirement of pet ownership, especially multiple pet ownership, and since you're still trying to figure things out (from what I've gathered) I think you should rehome them or get them to a shelter.

Personally, if I couldn't keep my stray cat, I know the only thing that would make me rest easy was knowing she was in the hands of someone else who cared about her. All of the wondering about them outside would be too much stress for me to handle. Try and stay calm, and think about your options. Once I really thought about my options I was able to narrow things down easily. Off of the list of possibilities was setting her free back outside (she was too friendly, and too skinny, and I knew that she was raised as an inside cat and couldn't take care of herself), so I was left with rehoming her or keeping her. As outside may still be a possibility for you, it might be best to write a list of pros and cons for each option, and then for each option write a sentence or two on how you would achieve each option.

 

[djoe]

Hey AnneMarie
Thanks for your input. The kittens and I are now in Lebanon but I will be leaving very soon. Probably in November.
There are only 3 animal welfare organisations here. They have very limoted shelter space and they don't take in cats.

There are dozens of cats for adoptions om their websites... we don't have nay other options.
I will try petfinder and Craigslist though...

Any suggestions are welcomed...

 

[kittychick]

My Lebanese friend is posting the story & pic to her Facebook page that has a lot of Lebanese followers. She's even making some calls ---you never know!!!

 

[djoe]

Oh great!

I will send you my email address and phone number; can you please share them with her?

Thank you (and her) so very much!

 

[djoe]

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• djoe
• Oct 18, 2013

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• djoe
• Oct 18, 2013

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• djoe
• Oct 18, 2013

 

[kittychick]

I love the new photos! I'll pass them along to my Lebanese friend too.

 

[Norachan]

Oh, they are beautiful!

I've been following your story with a lot of interest. I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions or contacts in that part of the world, but I'm sending you lots of vibes that you'll be able to find good homes for them all.

 

[djoe]

Thank you all. Be sure I wouldn't have been able to keep it together if it wasn't for the support on TCS!!!

 

[djoe]

So a girl sent me a meaaage through my cousin that she would want to adopt Cynthia. I replied saying that I would like to meet her in person to ask her a few questions and give her a visit to see where cynthia would be living. I shared my contact details.

But since then I never heard back. I think she was put off by me asking to see and visit her.

I knoq j blew away the chance for cynthia but I wouldn't just give her away. I need to make sure the person os not thinkig she is getting a free disposable toy!

What you guys think?


I got a word about my new job. I think I will have to join in January. Not a 100% sure but aprox.

 

[tulosai]

I personally would not ask to see someone's house (but it's just me). 

What I'd do is say 'when do you want to come meet Cynthia?'

At that time, you can observe her interactions with Cynthia and ask her all the questions you want.  Plan the questions really carefully and observe the visitor pretty carefully and you should have a good idea.  An adoption fee combined with those two things should be effective enough.

I am iffy on home visits because some people are (undeservedly) ashamed of their home (in fact, many people with the most messed up homes in my experience are the least ashamed).  A person might think I am embarrassed my home is so small/so messy or might be thinking, but I don't want a stranger in my home, and none of those things IMO correlates  to whether they'll be a good cat parent (the messy one maybe a bit, but again, IMO  it's often clean people who think they are so 'messy').