To make a long story short, a stray cat showed up on my doorstep a while back and is now definitely pregnant. Even though she isn't that big (she's still big) I assume she's nearing her due date because she just recently decided to nest in an old cat box on my porch and hardly ever leaves it.
I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid if I take her to an animal shelter, they will euthanize her. I don't know of any non-kill shelters around here.
I could spay her and abort the kittens.
I could try to find a home for her and her kittens (before she has them).
I could wait until after she has the kittens to spay her and find homes for the kittens.
I could smash my head against the wall while wondering why all the pregnant female cats show up on my doorstep leaving me to pay for EVERYTHING.
Any suggestions? I can't afford to keep the kittens. I would love to keep them, but it wouldn't be fair to keep animals that I can't afford to take care of properly. I already have four senior cats (all strays) and three foster cats (owner moved to and is renting a house with a pet limit rule). I really don't want the cat to have kittens here because I'm afraid I'll get too attached and then be heartbroken when I have to find them a new home. Plus there's the fact that I don't have anywhere to keep the kittens. This cat is going to give birth in a little cat box on my covered porch. I can't keep the kittens in the garage because there is some sort of potentially toxic odor in there. I can't keep them in the house as there is no more room, the inn is full. I don't have a lot of time to make a decision.
And just for the record, since 1996 I have paid to have 10 female stray cats and 3 male stray cats spayed/neutered. I've had four of those females give birth before they were spayed for a total of 28 kittens within a four year period. In the last 20 years, all my cats have been strays. The last time I adopted one was in 1990. None of my neighbors have had to go through this. The cats always come to my house as if they know they will be taken care of. I would not take a stray cat to the local animal shelter if my life depended on it. I don't condone the way they do things there.
Any USEFUL suggestions? I can't believe this is happening again. GRR!
I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid if I take her to an animal shelter, they will euthanize her. I don't know of any non-kill shelters around here.
I could spay her and abort the kittens.
I could try to find a home for her and her kittens (before she has them).
I could wait until after she has the kittens to spay her and find homes for the kittens.
I could smash my head against the wall while wondering why all the pregnant female cats show up on my doorstep leaving me to pay for EVERYTHING.
Any suggestions? I can't afford to keep the kittens. I would love to keep them, but it wouldn't be fair to keep animals that I can't afford to take care of properly. I already have four senior cats (all strays) and three foster cats (owner moved to and is renting a house with a pet limit rule). I really don't want the cat to have kittens here because I'm afraid I'll get too attached and then be heartbroken when I have to find them a new home. Plus there's the fact that I don't have anywhere to keep the kittens. This cat is going to give birth in a little cat box on my covered porch. I can't keep the kittens in the garage because there is some sort of potentially toxic odor in there. I can't keep them in the house as there is no more room, the inn is full. I don't have a lot of time to make a decision.
And just for the record, since 1996 I have paid to have 10 female stray cats and 3 male stray cats spayed/neutered. I've had four of those females give birth before they were spayed for a total of 28 kittens within a four year period. In the last 20 years, all my cats have been strays. The last time I adopted one was in 1990. None of my neighbors have had to go through this. The cats always come to my house as if they know they will be taken care of. I would not take a stray cat to the local animal shelter if my life depended on it. I don't condone the way they do things there.
Any USEFUL suggestions? I can't believe this is happening again. GRR!