I saw a very pregnant cat when I was taking my morning walk. She looked like a recently discarded stray -- dirty and struggling and scared. Maybe her owner threw her out when it was obvious she was pregnant? Her stomach was practically dragging on the ground. Perhaps I was looking too closely at her, because before I could even think of nabbing her she scooted across a parking lot and went into the thick brush that lines one side of my neighborhood. She might have well have gotten sucked into a black hole for all the luck I would have finding her in that mess. Don't know what will happen to her...she looked pretty young, too.
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Katie
Katie, I agree with all you've said, that is why I started doing rescue. But we just rescued a very pregnant cat, and even though the last thing we need is more kittens, we are still excited at the thought of seeing them enter the world.Originally Posted by TNR1
Ok....so I should know better than to look under the pregnant cat section...but why everyone is so excited about their cats having babies when I get to watch as we pull fewer and fewer cats from the pound because everyone wants kittens. Sorry...but I think about all those older cats that won't have a chance and why should their life mean any less. While everyone throws a party in the Pregnant cat section...I will mourn those cats we could not rescue.
Katie
my cat just had a kitten. whilst it was unplanned it was a genuine accident, she escaped three days before getting spayed. but i have done my utmost to giver her and the kitten the proper care, nutrition, attention and love. even if she had 10 kittens i would have loved and nurtured them until they were able to be placed in loving homes with my family and friends.Originally Posted by TNR1
:While everyone throws a party in the Pregnant cat section...I will mourn those cats we could not rescue.
Katie
its not all about spay and neuter its about having respect for another life-your pets and taking responsibility.i truly cant understand people who throw out an animal at any age.
but saying that i lucked out as she only had the one kitten and none of her litter took homes that could have to gone to other cats in need.
what i'm trying to say is not everyone in the pregnant cat section would count as an irrresponsible owner. i made a mistake but have tried my hardest to amend it. my cat and her kitten want for nothing and i wouldnt dream of handing any animal to a rescue organisation if i had space in my own home.
many of my friends and relatives want a cat (cat not kittens) but are reluctant to go to a shelter to adopt because of pre-concieved ideas they have about shelters. they are scared that they will be ruled out because of a house inspection because they fear impossible standards will be expected. or they are reluctant to adopt a pet that someone else has dumped as they fear taking home an agressive or ill animal.
sadly many of these beliefs are wrong as all the people i have spoken to/met who work in rescue have been kind and understanding and not over zealous as people may fear. i think here at least animal shelters need a pr make-over.
kitten season: my friend recieved free spaying for her cat on condition she turned over all the kittens from the last litter.
if the rescue organisation had not done this they would have continued having kittens after kittens themselves (as had happened for the past 3 years).
maybe if it is not already you should make this a condition. that you will only accept litters if you can spay the parent cats.
I agree with you, TNR1. But many of the posters in the kitten forum are foster mothers taking care of stray cats that were already pregnant. So I thank them for their efforts and am happy to see an uncomplicated pregnancy.
But I do agree with you -- I go to the cat adoption area when I am at one of the local Petsmarts just to see what is happening. Twice I witnessed people walk by saying "where are all the kittens?" and "these are all old cats" and then wander out of the store in the direction of the pet place that sells kittens for profit. Animal control only puts cute kittens and bonafide lapcats up for adoption -- every other cat is discarded (unless a private group steps in).
Since we are being honest, there are one or two very naive and unsophisticated posters who really rub me the wrong way how they hyperactively celebrate the birth of all these "oops" litters. There is no miracle or specialness about it -- leave an unspayed cat wailing in heat outside over night and she will get mated at least five times. Nothing magical about it. And all that is accomplished by these extra kittens is to effectively lower the age at which the typical cat can expect to be euthanized. Because it will come full circle to these unplanned kittens in a year or two -- hastily adopted out to unsuitable homes, not vetted, eventually abandoned...ultimately there is no room in the shelters or in anyone's home for them because of all the new kittens.
So I just keep one foot in both areas. There are millions of cats euthanized a year -- so anytime a volunteer steps up to say "I am going to save these ten cats" or "I am going to TNR this colony" I thank that person and congratulate them when they have success with their project. But there are still only a finite number of homes, so a bunch of new kittens means the older cats are more quickly euthanized to keep up.
(Obviously I rescued a 6-8 year old adult stray...so my personal preference is clear.)
But I do agree with you -- I go to the cat adoption area when I am at one of the local Petsmarts just to see what is happening. Twice I witnessed people walk by saying "where are all the kittens?" and "these are all old cats" and then wander out of the store in the direction of the pet place that sells kittens for profit. Animal control only puts cute kittens and bonafide lapcats up for adoption -- every other cat is discarded (unless a private group steps in).
Since we are being honest, there are one or two very naive and unsophisticated posters who really rub me the wrong way how they hyperactively celebrate the birth of all these "oops" litters. There is no miracle or specialness about it -- leave an unspayed cat wailing in heat outside over night and she will get mated at least five times. Nothing magical about it. And all that is accomplished by these extra kittens is to effectively lower the age at which the typical cat can expect to be euthanized. Because it will come full circle to these unplanned kittens in a year or two -- hastily adopted out to unsuitable homes, not vetted, eventually abandoned...ultimately there is no room in the shelters or in anyone's home for them because of all the new kittens.
So I just keep one foot in both areas. There are millions of cats euthanized a year -- so anytime a volunteer steps up to say "I am going to save these ten cats" or "I am going to TNR this colony" I thank that person and congratulate them when they have success with their project. But there are still only a finite number of homes, so a bunch of new kittens means the older cats are more quickly euthanized to keep up.
(Obviously I rescued a 6-8 year old adult stray...so my personal preference is clear.)
Oh, awesome -- you are with HELP, yes? I just saw that earlier today in the ebay auction thingie.
Have you told that woman all the benefits of spaying? Why the hell WOUDLN'T you do it, especially if someone else pays? God, people are soooooo stupid!
Ok I think it's safe to say that our kitten season has started (even though it seems that it never really stopped!)!!!!!!!!
We go t 2 litters of kittens less than a week old in the emergency clinic this week...and that's just the one's I knew about...who knows if there were more! Luckily we were able to team up and keep the bottle babies healthy. I was lucky that a lady that helps bottle feed for our org. could take them (God Bless Her!!!!) because I had a week full of exams and had to spend long days at school. I'm so nervous tho.....the lead lady in our org left the country for 2 weeks today.
I just know it's gonna be a crazy few weeks. Need good vibes for all the little bottle babies and maintaining our sanity while she's gone (I don't know how I'm gonna find places if we get more that need fosters :-( )
To everyone that does rescue work - I applaud you! Good luck for the kitten season-
