Hi,
It's been awhile! But I have a new drama unfolding...
On Friday, my neighbor accidentally trapped a 4 month old feral kitten. I took the kitten until the rescue organization could take her because I have spare bedroom.
A little bit of background. Just before Thanksgiving, out of nowhere a neighborhood cat appears outside my neighbor's shed with four kittens around 7-8 weeks old. The husband wanted nothing to do with them, but wouldn't listen to anyone about how to go about trapping a family of cats. So...of course he botched the job. They got three of the kittens, but not the fourth kitten or Mom. I got the three kittens to foster care, and the last I heard they were doing wonderfully. We got a trapper to come in and help, but the night before Thanksgiving, the husband said he was tired of the trapper coming onto his property and if they didn't get Mom and the last kitten that night, "they were on their own". He spent the day after Thanksgiving blocking up every inch of their shed and tossed my trap over the fence with the food dish still in it. The man is a total nut.
For two months, no one had seen the fourth kitten even though Mom was around. I thought it was dead, to be honest. Then around the end of January the last kitten appears with Mom and has been beebopping around the neighborhood as Mom teaches her to survive. Mom must have had that kitten on lockdown, because no one in the neighborhood had seen it.
I was off on Friday and since it was a nice day, I went out to rake leaves. The wife neighbor comes outside and goes into the shed. She came right back out, called me over, and said, "Guess what's in the shed, in a trap?"
When the husband threw his hissy fit, they just left their trap in the shed and never closed it. (As I said, mine got tossed over the fence.) The same food dish from November was still in there. Fortunately, the kitten couldn't have been in there very long--it was around Thursday night.
So, I took the kitten and put it in my spare room, and called the rescue organization I dealt with last time. They said that at that age, it's probably completely feral and so it would be a TNR. That was Friday. By Sunday (yesterday) I still hadn't heard back from the woman.
The poor kitten was terrified (understandably), but was not aggressive at all. Eating, drinking and using the litter pan, and by Saturday night was interested in playing but too scared to engage. By Sunday morning I was able to pet her and in about 30 seconds she was rolling around looking for belly rubs. I also managed to get her to eat chicken baby food from a spoon. Go me!
This morning, she would meow whenever I'd leave the room. Unfortunately, I had to go to work, but she's getting used to people. She can be tamed.
I messaged the rescue lady yesterday with a video of how well this kitten was responding. She messaged me back, "You can pet her??" Yes, obviously.
I STILL have not heard back from them. WTF?? I've had this cat for 4 days and they can't even give me the courtesy of, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any fosters available right now, but here are your options." I even said I'd be willing to foster her myself if they don't have anyone. Nothing. Not a peep! It's ridiculous and I'm getting really angry. I have four cats already; I can't keep this one. This cat needs to go to a vet for deworming, flea treatment, checkup and shots. It's not right that they keep me waiting this long.
It's totally unprofessional and uncaring. I understand that these people have lives, but four days? Come on.
So, what do I do with this kitten? As I said, I'd be willing to foster her myself, but I can't do that if they won't even give me the courtesy of a response. I can't keep her, and I absolutely will not take her to a shelter. She's still still semi-feral and even if they did take her, they'd probably euthanize her. She'd be better off if I let her loose than that. (I'm not going to let her loose, I'm just saying.)
It's been awhile! But I have a new drama unfolding...
On Friday, my neighbor accidentally trapped a 4 month old feral kitten. I took the kitten until the rescue organization could take her because I have spare bedroom.
A little bit of background. Just before Thanksgiving, out of nowhere a neighborhood cat appears outside my neighbor's shed with four kittens around 7-8 weeks old. The husband wanted nothing to do with them, but wouldn't listen to anyone about how to go about trapping a family of cats. So...of course he botched the job. They got three of the kittens, but not the fourth kitten or Mom. I got the three kittens to foster care, and the last I heard they were doing wonderfully. We got a trapper to come in and help, but the night before Thanksgiving, the husband said he was tired of the trapper coming onto his property and if they didn't get Mom and the last kitten that night, "they were on their own". He spent the day after Thanksgiving blocking up every inch of their shed and tossed my trap over the fence with the food dish still in it. The man is a total nut.
For two months, no one had seen the fourth kitten even though Mom was around. I thought it was dead, to be honest. Then around the end of January the last kitten appears with Mom and has been beebopping around the neighborhood as Mom teaches her to survive. Mom must have had that kitten on lockdown, because no one in the neighborhood had seen it.
I was off on Friday and since it was a nice day, I went out to rake leaves. The wife neighbor comes outside and goes into the shed. She came right back out, called me over, and said, "Guess what's in the shed, in a trap?"
When the husband threw his hissy fit, they just left their trap in the shed and never closed it. (As I said, mine got tossed over the fence.) The same food dish from November was still in there. Fortunately, the kitten couldn't have been in there very long--it was around Thursday night.
So, I took the kitten and put it in my spare room, and called the rescue organization I dealt with last time. They said that at that age, it's probably completely feral and so it would be a TNR. That was Friday. By Sunday (yesterday) I still hadn't heard back from the woman.
The poor kitten was terrified (understandably), but was not aggressive at all. Eating, drinking and using the litter pan, and by Saturday night was interested in playing but too scared to engage. By Sunday morning I was able to pet her and in about 30 seconds she was rolling around looking for belly rubs. I also managed to get her to eat chicken baby food from a spoon. Go me!
This morning, she would meow whenever I'd leave the room. Unfortunately, I had to go to work, but she's getting used to people. She can be tamed.
I messaged the rescue lady yesterday with a video of how well this kitten was responding. She messaged me back, "You can pet her??" Yes, obviously.
I STILL have not heard back from them. WTF?? I've had this cat for 4 days and they can't even give me the courtesy of, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any fosters available right now, but here are your options." I even said I'd be willing to foster her myself if they don't have anyone. Nothing. Not a peep! It's ridiculous and I'm getting really angry. I have four cats already; I can't keep this one. This cat needs to go to a vet for deworming, flea treatment, checkup and shots. It's not right that they keep me waiting this long.
It's totally unprofessional and uncaring. I understand that these people have lives, but four days? Come on.
So, what do I do with this kitten? As I said, I'd be willing to foster her myself, but I can't do that if they won't even give me the courtesy of a response. I can't keep her, and I absolutely will not take her to a shelter. She's still still semi-feral and even if they did take her, they'd probably euthanize her. She'd be better off if I let her loose than that. (I'm not going to let her loose, I'm just saying.)
). Don't hate me that I admitted that. Thank goodness most towns have more than one shelter to spread the fun around! I think you're 100% right to move on to another shelter for now....just know your call could have gotten lost in the black hole of someone like me. 
Great photo!
