Can't Manage So Many Strays X(

[shefzz]

Hi all,

I'm in a huge dilemma right now. I've been caring for strays for some time and this included one female and two males. They are not really indoor cats but I couldn't get them sterilized and now the female is on her second liter.

I've cared for her first liter and the 4 kittens are more than 6 months old while she recently gave birth to 5 more kittens. The biggest challenge is that she is now expecting me to take care of her second liter as well as she won't move them anywhere else. She has just dropped them outside the window and its really breaking my heart.

I live on the first floor of an apartment building with a large terrace attached (that is where they started staying) and now none of the first liter leaves the terrace although I've not really kept them indoors much after they became 2 months old. I tried having a litter box for the 4 kitties but it got too much to handle. The queen does her business elsewhere. I work 40+ hours a week and most of my family is too busy to care and change the box.

Now with the second liter I'm really confused and stressed. I thought cats are independent and the kittens will leave the terrace and explore the neighborhood once they're big enough but they are still here. There are lots of kitties in the neighborhood anyway.

I've already contacted a local animal rescue to get them all sterilized but beyond that I don't know what to do. There are no shelters where I live and the newest liter is living in a very dirty environment. I can't care for them all any longer.

Please help! How do I get their mother to move the kittens where they can be safe??

 

[Draco]

Do you have facebook or other social media? Try reaching out to people there- having connections is a great way to get these kittens adopted and the help they need.
Also call your vets, all vets in the area to see if they have suggestions, maybe some has some adoption sections in their offices.

Where do you live? a location may help us determine other options for you as well.

 

[Willowy]

Keep the younger litter inside until they're 2 months old, like the first litter. Well, keep them in until they're sterilized, which can be done at 2 months old. Sterilization is THE most important thing, otherwise you'll be up to your ears in cats in no time. Once that's done, you can work on finding homes for them, through social media, posters at the vet's office, etc.

But really, the #1 priority needs to be getting everyone sterilized before there's another litter. The 6-month-olds are old enough to breed now so it could get very messy.

 

[marmoset]

Keep the younger litter inside until they're 2 months old, like the first litter. Well, keep them in until they're sterilized, which can be done at 2 months old. Sterilization is THE most important thing, otherwise you'll be up to your ears in cats in no time. Once that's done, you can work on finding homes for them, through social media, posters at the vet's office, etc.

But really, the #1 priority needs to be getting everyone sterilized before there's another litter. The 6-month-olds are old enough to breed now so it could get very messy.

Exactly. I fully agree! Also even though you might not have shelters nearby there may be rescue groups that do fostering and can help with TNR. So search online for cat rescue groups for your area.

 

[Antonio65]

Well, keep them in until they're sterilized, which can be done at 2 months old.

It's incredible how methods can differ from country to country.
Over here, in Italy, no vet that I know will ever sterilize a kitten that young. I think the youngest they can do is 5 to 6 months old. Some vets that I know won't even touch a kitten until they're 8 months old, and a few of them still want to wait for the first heat.

 

[Willowy]

It's incredible how methods can differ from country to country.
Over here, in Italy, no vet that I know will ever sterilize a kitten that young. I think the youngest they can do is 5 to 6 months old. Some vets that I know won't even touch a kitten until they're 8 months old, and a few of them still want to wait for the first heat.

I HOPE that they're more flexible when it comes to outdoor cats, otherwise there must be an awful lot of unwanted litters . I agree with waiting for dogs but, having had kittens who went into heat at 4 months, I don't think waiting is a good idea with cats! Unless they're exclusively kept indoors with no unaltered opposite-sex cats around.

 

[Antonio65]

Not 100% sure, but I think that they could not sterilize them unless they're grown enough, even if they're feral.

 

[Willowy]

That's unfortunate. I'm sure it leads to a lot of deaths from being unwanted. The vets ought to educate themselves about safe surgery techniques.

I hope the OP's vet knows how to do surgery on younger cats! It's very important to get this under control before there are too many to deal with.