Hello,
I have several questions that will come up with the background information I am going to provide. To begin, I know a somewhat small farm that is home to a small population of stray cats. Nearly all of the cats are very friendly, and most are female. The family that owns the farm does leave dry food and water out for these cats, but that is about it. Over the past couple of years, they have paid to have certain females cats fixed, and even fewer male cats (since there are less). Unfortunately, it seems like whenever they get a cat fixed, it disappears or meets an early end. :/ So, right now there appears to be only one male that managed to get around to more than one female, of course. At the moment, I know that I am not going to be able to talk the family into spaying all the females, so I am not going to be rude by trying... but if I do see an opening, I will mention any low-cost spay/neuter places I can find.
Anyway, moving on... I think there are four of five female cats right now, most likely two years of age or less. One female has two older kittens, a second female has five young kittens, and a third female was pregnant but they never located the kittens. I am an animal lover, have two cats of my own along with additional other pets, so these adorable kittens really get to me... not to mention the friendly female cats. The "adult" females are very thin. I understand that could be due to the improper diet (consisting entirely of dry food), worms, or both. The mother of the five kittens is so thin I can feel her spine, which disturbs me greatly. Also, these cats are generally smaller than what There is NO arguing with the guy who owns the farm... he is very stubborn & opinionated. If there is at least something I can do about the thinness of these cats, I am willing to try to the best of my capabilities. However, I do not get to the farm frequently - every few weeks, at most.
The cats have never been dewormed, and it makes me sad to think that these seven kittens could grow up to be so thin yet friendly. I have read about roundworms and know that it is best that kittens be treated for them, but I doubt the farm owner is going to pay for the deworming, especially if more than one round is necessary. I read online that OTC medications and home remedies are not very effective. Is that true? For the adult cats, I am not sure if roundworms, or some other type, would even be the cause of the thinness... if I were able to treat the worms, assuming they were the source, would the dry food be enough to help them gain enough weight to cover their bones?
I would absolutely love to foster the kittens, but I am not in the position to do so, especially since it is possible they could end up staying longer than intended... there are always kittens around, and although I would be willing to do free adoptions to any home I find suitable, I would be worried about finding those homes (or how long they would take).
Any suggestions on the weight of the cats, or helping the kittens grow up healthier in this environment, would be appreciated. I may not have the most money to spare, and neither may the farm family (kids, number of cats, stubborness, etc.), but I want to be aware of the options available... and I did read the 'Cant Afford the Vet' thread already, so please do not recommend it.
Thanks
I have several questions that will come up with the background information I am going to provide. To begin, I know a somewhat small farm that is home to a small population of stray cats. Nearly all of the cats are very friendly, and most are female. The family that owns the farm does leave dry food and water out for these cats, but that is about it. Over the past couple of years, they have paid to have certain females cats fixed, and even fewer male cats (since there are less). Unfortunately, it seems like whenever they get a cat fixed, it disappears or meets an early end. :/ So, right now there appears to be only one male that managed to get around to more than one female, of course. At the moment, I know that I am not going to be able to talk the family into spaying all the females, so I am not going to be rude by trying... but if I do see an opening, I will mention any low-cost spay/neuter places I can find.
Anyway, moving on... I think there are four of five female cats right now, most likely two years of age or less. One female has two older kittens, a second female has five young kittens, and a third female was pregnant but they never located the kittens. I am an animal lover, have two cats of my own along with additional other pets, so these adorable kittens really get to me... not to mention the friendly female cats. The "adult" females are very thin. I understand that could be due to the improper diet (consisting entirely of dry food), worms, or both. The mother of the five kittens is so thin I can feel her spine, which disturbs me greatly. Also, these cats are generally smaller than what There is NO arguing with the guy who owns the farm... he is very stubborn & opinionated. If there is at least something I can do about the thinness of these cats, I am willing to try to the best of my capabilities. However, I do not get to the farm frequently - every few weeks, at most.
The cats have never been dewormed, and it makes me sad to think that these seven kittens could grow up to be so thin yet friendly. I have read about roundworms and know that it is best that kittens be treated for them, but I doubt the farm owner is going to pay for the deworming, especially if more than one round is necessary. I read online that OTC medications and home remedies are not very effective. Is that true? For the adult cats, I am not sure if roundworms, or some other type, would even be the cause of the thinness... if I were able to treat the worms, assuming they were the source, would the dry food be enough to help them gain enough weight to cover their bones?
I would absolutely love to foster the kittens, but I am not in the position to do so, especially since it is possible they could end up staying longer than intended... there are always kittens around, and although I would be willing to do free adoptions to any home I find suitable, I would be worried about finding those homes (or how long they would take).
Any suggestions on the weight of the cats, or helping the kittens grow up healthier in this environment, would be appreciated. I may not have the most money to spare, and neither may the farm family (kids, number of cats, stubborness, etc.), but I want to be aware of the options available... and I did read the 'Cant Afford the Vet' thread already, so please do not recommend it.
Thanks