Need Advice From the Feral Colony Experts

[orange&white]

Not much new to report. I did receive an email that Kit Kit is "a very feral cat", but she and her kittens are doing well. She hides the kittens in her kennel and doesn't want anyone touching them. I hope this doesn't mean they aren't working to socialize them.

 

[surya]

Thanks for helping the kitty and her babies. There is so much bad in the world, that the good people in this world have to be extra good to make up for it.

 

[maggiedemi]

Very interesting story. Please keep us updated on Kit Kit. I hope she can either find a home or come back to you. I feel so bad for the ferals, they are so misunderstood. Have you ever watched that show Animal Cops? Whenever they go in and seize cats, if they are feral, they almost always put them to sleep. It makes me so sad.

 

[orange&white]

Thank you both.

Since they have labelled her as "very feral" and not able to socialize, she will be a true TNR...released back outside to live her life. If she wants to continue to hang out on my property versus with the other feral cats at the apartment complex (where they breed them), then I will start feeding her. I don't feed the ferals normally, so that I don't have the responsibility for spaying/neutering them. Plus, I couldn't afford to feed and TNR a whole colony if I wanted to, so I usually don't mess with any of them.

They should be able to find homes for her 4 kittens, so there is one silver lining.

 

[surya]

I live in a low income apartment complex. There is mostly Hispanic people living here and they do not get their cats fixed. I guess in Mexico, only people in the upper classes fix cats. I am poor, but fortunately I am working with a group to get them TNR'ed, so I don't have to pay for that. I am paying for cat food for strays I have fixed, which is a burden for me. You do what you can do. I am proud of the cats I have helped to get adopted.

 

[orange&white]

LOL I mentioned in a different thread that some cultures (like Traditional Roman Catholic Hispanics) have beliefs against birth control and apply that to their pets as well in not believing in spay/neuter. It wasn't intended to be racist or religionist, as much as just a fact, but the comment just about got my eyes clawed out by one or two members. I know what you're talking about.

I can keep to two cats and two dogs that I own healthy, plus feed one "extra" animal, whether that is a foster or a neighborhood feral or whatever. One "extra" mouth at a time. That's all I can do. Then I feel guilty for trying to chose "which one do I help"?

Bless you, too, for responsibly feeding the and TNR'ing the "cats in your hood".

 

[surya]

LOL I mentioned in a different thread that some cultures (like Traditional Roman Catholic Hispanics) have beliefs against birth control and apply that to their pets as well in not believing in spay/neuter. It wasn't intended to be racist or religionist, as much as just a fact, but the comment just about got my eyes clawed out by one or two members. I know what you're talking about.

I can keep to two cats and two dogs that I own healthy, plus feed one "extra" animal, whether that is a foster or a neighborhood feral or whatever. One "extra" mouth at a time. That's all I can do. Then I feel guilty for trying to chose "which one do I help"?

Bless you, too, for responsibly feeding the and TNR'ing the "cats in your hood".

I'm not sure if it is the "Catholic" thing, because the "thou shall not kill" rule does not apply. Poisoning cats is common in Mexico too. And here, people throw unwanted kittens in the dumpster to die. That was what threw me over the edge and got me involved. I have completely turned into a crazy cat lady. Don't feel guilty, you are doing so much more than most people.

 

[orange&white]

Heehee....See now you're questioning me on the "Catholic" comment. I wasn't being "religionist". The fact is that the majority of Hispanics are Catholic.

I differentiate Traditional Roman Catholic (who practice not using birth control) and Modern Roman Catholic (toss the church's position and are in favor of birth control - and do spay and neuter their pets). My observation is that with Hispanics, traditional practice or modern practice is determined by how many generations ago the family immigrated to Texas. Newer arrivals tend to be more traditional, and more against spay/neuter.

Some people of any and all religions seem to "use" religion as an excuse when it works for them and toss it out the window when it doesn't work (like the "thou shalt not kill" thing you mentioned).

Anyway, we're both doing "something", all we can do.

I'll update on Kit Kit as soon as I hear more news from the shelter. Her kittens are 38 days old now (5-6 weeks). They said they'd let her nurse 6-8 weeks, then add 2 weeks for her milk to dry, then spay her and contact me to pick her up. I'm thinking they may take the babies sooner than they told me to socialize them, since momma is so feral. I'm thinking maybe 2 weeks at the soonest, I'll get the call to pick up.

Meanwhile, I have the 6 week old feral kitten in the temporary catio where Kit Kit needs to be if she needs a 24-hour recovery/observation time after her spay. The kitten needs to weigh 3 pounds to neuter, and I'm afraid he's not going to weigh enough by the time I need the space for Kit Kit. I was hoping to "trade ferals" with the shelter.

 

[surya]

I didn't think you were being religionist. I know they are predominantly Catholic's. Anyway you may be right that religion is behind the problem as people that live here seem to be recent immigrants. I took care of a totally feral mom with four babies for a while last year. The mom is now sweet as could be and loves to be petted. So she might come around.

 

[orange&white]

I figured you'd know what I'm saying, being in Texas.

If Kit Kit hangs around or I can get her coming over for regular meals (without bringing the rest of the colony), I'll try to socialize her outside. Maybe it will work out in the longer term for her to be adoptable. She's a small, very pretty, tuxedo cat with a short sleek glossy coat and green eyes. She does tug my heart.

 

[orange&white]

Kit Kit's kittens turned 6 weeks old, so have been removed. Kit Kit will be spayed in a week or two after her milk dries up.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I so hope that Kit Kit will be adoptable. I know her kittens should be. It sounds as though she was a really good mama. Now it is her chance to shine.

 

[orange&white]

They are keeping the kittens...hopefully the $75 adoption fee per kitten will help the shelter cover some of the costs of keeping them so long and spaying/neutering everyone. They're doing $10 adoptions for cats over 1 year old, but Kit Kit is not adoptable. Momma Kit Kit was tagged as "very wild", so she'll be going back outside where she came from. I never fed her until I decided to try and trap her. After release, I'll offer her food when I see her (if she hangs around) and try to work with her. Otherwise she may disappear back into the colony where people are leaving out dry food.

 

[orange&white]

Kit Kit was released from the shelter yesterday. They said I could let her go back to the colony immediately. I questioned whether I should keep an eye on her for at least one night instead, since she had given birth to a litter and I wasn't sure if that might possibly cause more complications with the spay surgery. They told me that if I wanted to keep her overnight and watch for any blood or to see if she was licking the incision site, then that was ok too.

I had set up a temporary 4x4 catio, so I decided to keep her overnight. When I got up this morning, she had not eaten one bite of food. I had put out canned, dry and some of my cats' raw food on separate plates so she had some choices.

She worried me not eating anything, so I kept her today. Through the day, I offered her all of the above, plus tuna fish, scrambled her a soft egg, and cooked chicken and rice for her. She refused to eat until just now, when it's minutes before dark. She worried me all day, but finally ate a few bites of kibble. She didn't eat much, but something finally.

Then she started meowing...loudly.

I'm thinking I should just open the catio door and let her go now. I think she just wants to "get out of jail" and go on about her life.

I would like for her to eat a little more, but I can leave the food out, even if the other neighborhood ferals come eat it in the middle of the night.

Thoughts?

 

[surya]

When did they spay her? I'm no expert, I just know when they spay my girls, they keep them about a week before they bring them back.

 

[orange&white]

Thursday.

She was meowing loudly, something she must have learned at the shelter. I never heard her meow before this evening. I took that as a sign that she was feeling ok and just wanted out.

I opened the gate at 10pm and watched from inside the house. It took her eight minutes to realize she was free. She got "sprung from jail" at 10:08pm. I hope she'll be ok for many good years, but the life of a feral is not easy.

We'll see if she comes back to hang around. She may disappear back into the apartments.

 

[surya]

I bet she'll be back.

 

[orange&white]

I'm feeling sad right now. I get too attached and worry too much.

She spent most of today lying in the box of cat liter (which she had used) and looking sort of miserable.

I left tuna, wet food, chicken & rice, and kibble in the open catio. I expect it will be gone tomorrow morning, but there are so many strays around that I won't know which one(s) ate the food. In the future I'm only planning to offer food to Kit Kit if/when I see her around. She never ate here and only came over to drink rain water out of a bucket...so the "home food" for the colony is over at the apartments.

 

[shadowsrescue]

You did such a kind thing for Kit Kit. I bet she will be back in time.

Have you ever thought of using a trail camera? I bought one a few years ago off Amazon. It took amazing pictures and even video if you want. It required 4 D batteries as well as a Micro SD card that you would bring inside each day to view. You need a micro SD reader on your computer or lap top. I didn't have either, so I would pop it into my digital camera and download from there.

I now use wireless ip cameras to keep track of my crew. I get so much wildlife in my suburban neighborhood. Right now I am dealing with coyotes coming into the yard. Such a worry.

 

[surya]

Mine will often hide for a few days after they are back from surgery. But I bet she will be back looking for food.