Ferals

[kittenkiya]

Got Little Miss Tippy-Tail last night. She is at the vets as we speak and will be home tonight after work. That means I only have two left, MotherCat and DaddyCat. Thank all of you so much for your encouragement and caring. You've helped make a hard job easy. Thank you all again.

 

[lotsocats]

You are truly amazing!!! Miss Tippy Tail may be unhappy, but she is one lucky little kitty cat! She will never have to face the dangers of a pregnancy or all the problems that come with giving birth.

Woo Hoo!!!

 

[ldg]

Like Hissy wrote to Tania for doing such an amazing job with those preemies -

YOU ROCK!

 

[kittenkiya]

Well, guess what???? Little Miss Tippy-Tail was actually Little MISTER Tippy-Tail. Oh yeah, got DaddyCat last night. He is at the vets getting his makeover and I will pick him up after work. Only one left now is MotherCat and that dingbat that kicked her and the kittens out from under her trailer last year, has opened up that area again and guess who ran in. Yep, MotherCat. I don't know if she is going to have a litter, has already had a litter, but she is guarding that place like a tiger.

 

[lotsocats]

Wow! Dad and son in just two days!

I sure hope momma cat hasn't had any babies and that she's not pregnant. I hope you can catch her right away. However, you might want to look under the trailer to see whether there are kittens under there, because you don't want to take her away if the babies are still very small.

Good luck!

 

[kittenkiya]

I know. Unfortunately the lady next door is a dingbat and refuses to have anything to do with anyone in the neighborhood. I was thinking of asking her if I could put the trap over there and have her close off the back entrance that I know is open also, to trap MotherCat as she came out, but I don't think she would help or let me do it and if she realized that MotherCat was back under her trailer, she is the type that would just close off the entrances and let them all die of starvation. I am not sure what to do. I really hope MotherCat comes over to eat and then I can visually check her to see if she is nursing.

 

[ldg]

Wow, how awful! It's a sad fact, and that's why it's so wonderful that people like you are out there! I don't know what to do - that is a tough situation. No ay to sneak over there at night with a flashlight to have a look or something? If not, I sure hope she comes by soon!

Keep up the incredible work - you are on one heck of a roll here!

 

[kittenkiya]

I am home today and tomorrow. I simply had to take some time off from work, I am REALLY stressed. I think I will bait the trap this afternoon and I think I'll use some fish. Hopefully MotherCat will come and eat and if I can see that she is nursing, that will give me the excuse to go to the management and ask permission to just check under the trailer. I can even bring in the Animal control people if I absolutely have to. But I think I will try that and if this doesn't sound right, please remember my brain is not working too well today. My little Princess is running around like she owns the joint. Boy, ferals are HARDY.

 

[ldg]

Personally, I wouldn't bring in the animal control people. You just never know what will happen. I don't know your area or laws, and some animal control will simply bring the kittens to a vet or a shelter and the vet or shelter keeps them for the three or seven days or two weeks before finding them homes - and if they haven't, then the animals get put down. If that's the way it works there, then I guess they have a fighting chance of surviving where they may not there given their living circumstances. It's a difficult choice. But my feelings are pretty strong - never trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. I wouldn't call animal control.

Get some rest - you need it! Mama's caring for her kittens now, so she's not in heat. We didn't trap the mom cat here until she'd raised the kittens (until we were sure they were 12 weeks old). Then we trapped mom AND the kittens and got them all spayed and neutered. That is something you can consider... as long as mom cat is "guarding" under the trailer, it would seem she's got a family. If so - the kittens will turn up in 4 - 6 weeks when she starts teaching them about life.

Then you can feed them too, and stops by your place will become regular enough that you can then work on trapping the whole family one at a time.

After 12 weeks, they don't need mum anymore, and she'll send them packing (likely) anyway.

Now - get your rest! You don't need to make any decisions today.