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- Nov 7, 2013
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I need advice. I'm on the verge of tears because I feel so guilty right now.
About a week ago, I noticed a litter of stray kitties outside the apartment building garage right across my street.
I went over and left some wet food on some paper plates, and 4 kittens and their mom came trotting over.
They were skittish, so I just let them eat in peace.
I fed them at night time for 4 days, and then today enlisted my boyfriend to try to help me catch them. We were armed with 2 carriers (one small, one medium large), and food.
We caught the mom, and one baby first pretty easily. Brought them back home and let them in the bathroom, so we could have the carriers open to catch the other 3. The 3rd kitten came waltzing towards us, and was an easy catch.
The other two were nowhere to be seen, so we brought the 3rd kitten back home to our bathroom to free up the carrier,
When we came back, the other two were hiding under the cars, but then bolted and hid inside a locked door.
Thankfully, the building manager and her son noticed us, and he unlocked the doors and after a bit of a chase (sorry kitty!) we caught the 4th kitten (poor thing was absolutely terrified, and bit and scratched the crap out of my boyfriend.)
We learned from them that someone had been feeding the cats every morning, and they were happy we wanted to catch them and bring them to a shelter.
The last, 5th kitten was no where to be seen. We hung around in the garage for an hour, but they didn't come out of hiding.
We decided to give up the search for then, and then went back home. There was no way we were going to let the 4th kitten out in the bathroom and have to recatch them, so we easily loaded up the other three into the large carrier and off to the animal shelter we went.
We dropped off the mom and her three babies at the shelter (they have 24/7 drop off for strays) and they had us put the mom and one baby in once kennel, and then the other two babies in another (the large one that would fit them all was occupied).
We went back home, and straight over to the other garage. The owner's son let us in again.
My heart broke as we head the pitiful cries of the kitten as they meowed in anguish searching for their siblings and mom
Of course, kitten was a lot more wary of us now, and easily outran us while going under cars, outside the gate (where there is no human access), and back and forth.
We had the kitty cornered in a room that had a gate that led outside, and a bunch of stuff underneath the stairs.
My boyfriend managed to crawl under the stairs, and she bolted out. I reached out, and managed to snatch her up. I had her in my hands for about 5 seconds, but she bit and scratched and squirmed and got away.
She bolted back outside and to the adjacent apartment parking lot, where we had no access.
At this point, it was 11pm, so we decided to call it a night.
I just feel so incredibly guilty. I wish I never would of bothered trying to catch them, because now I've destroyed their happy little family and that poor kitten is all alone now.
We are going to try to catch them again tomorrow, but I don't know if we will succeed.
I'm so sad and upset right now. And frustrated, because I had them in my hands, I just couldn't hold on long enough.
I really just wanted to try to help them get off the streets where they could be hit by cars, attacked by dogs, or harmed by people, but now I just feel like a terrible person.
Any tips on how to catch the last kitten?
From going off pictures online, I'd say hes's 9-11 weeks or so. I left some wet food and water that was mixed with a little KMR formula, just for some extra protein and vitamins.
Thank you for any advice at all.
EDIT- I do realize now what an idiotic plan it was to try to catch 5 sorta skittish kitties with only 2 carriers and no humane traps. I'm regretting it so much already. I was just so concerned that a bad person would catch them, and then use them as dog bait or sell em to a class B dealer, or otherwise harm them. Or they'd get hit by a car.
And now I am freaking out about the bites we sustained and the possibility of infection. Such. A. Bad. Idea.
About a week ago, I noticed a litter of stray kitties outside the apartment building garage right across my street.
I went over and left some wet food on some paper plates, and 4 kittens and their mom came trotting over.
They were skittish, so I just let them eat in peace.
I fed them at night time for 4 days, and then today enlisted my boyfriend to try to help me catch them. We were armed with 2 carriers (one small, one medium large), and food.
We caught the mom, and one baby first pretty easily. Brought them back home and let them in the bathroom, so we could have the carriers open to catch the other 3. The 3rd kitten came waltzing towards us, and was an easy catch.
The other two were nowhere to be seen, so we brought the 3rd kitten back home to our bathroom to free up the carrier,
When we came back, the other two were hiding under the cars, but then bolted and hid inside a locked door.
Thankfully, the building manager and her son noticed us, and he unlocked the doors and after a bit of a chase (sorry kitty!) we caught the 4th kitten (poor thing was absolutely terrified, and bit and scratched the crap out of my boyfriend.)
We learned from them that someone had been feeding the cats every morning, and they were happy we wanted to catch them and bring them to a shelter.
The last, 5th kitten was no where to be seen. We hung around in the garage for an hour, but they didn't come out of hiding.
We decided to give up the search for then, and then went back home. There was no way we were going to let the 4th kitten out in the bathroom and have to recatch them, so we easily loaded up the other three into the large carrier and off to the animal shelter we went.
We dropped off the mom and her three babies at the shelter (they have 24/7 drop off for strays) and they had us put the mom and one baby in once kennel, and then the other two babies in another (the large one that would fit them all was occupied).
We went back home, and straight over to the other garage. The owner's son let us in again.
My heart broke as we head the pitiful cries of the kitten as they meowed in anguish searching for their siblings and mom
Of course, kitten was a lot more wary of us now, and easily outran us while going under cars, outside the gate (where there is no human access), and back and forth.
We had the kitty cornered in a room that had a gate that led outside, and a bunch of stuff underneath the stairs.
My boyfriend managed to crawl under the stairs, and she bolted out. I reached out, and managed to snatch her up. I had her in my hands for about 5 seconds, but she bit and scratched and squirmed and got away.
She bolted back outside and to the adjacent apartment parking lot, where we had no access.
At this point, it was 11pm, so we decided to call it a night.
I just feel so incredibly guilty. I wish I never would of bothered trying to catch them, because now I've destroyed their happy little family and that poor kitten is all alone now.
We are going to try to catch them again tomorrow, but I don't know if we will succeed.
I'm so sad and upset right now. And frustrated, because I had them in my hands, I just couldn't hold on long enough.
I really just wanted to try to help them get off the streets where they could be hit by cars, attacked by dogs, or harmed by people, but now I just feel like a terrible person.
Any tips on how to catch the last kitten?
From going off pictures online, I'd say hes's 9-11 weeks or so. I left some wet food and water that was mixed with a little KMR formula, just for some extra protein and vitamins.
Thank you for any advice at all.
EDIT- I do realize now what an idiotic plan it was to try to catch 5 sorta skittish kitties with only 2 carriers and no humane traps. I'm regretting it so much already. I was just so concerned that a bad person would catch them, and then use them as dog bait or sell em to a class B dealer, or otherwise harm them. Or they'd get hit by a car.
And now I am freaking out about the bites we sustained and the possibility of infection. Such. A. Bad. Idea.
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