Can't find a home for 'our' kittens.

[mirage]

The people over the road from us did a moonlight flit about 4 years ago and abandoned their cat.Last year she appeared in our garage with 2 kittens and we tried to catch them and her to get them spayed/neutered but she moved on again before we could do anything.In June this year,DH went into the garage to get the lawnmower,and there she was with 6 kittens.I rang Cats Protection and they told me to have them put to sleep,but I couldn't.She also told me that we'd never succeed in taming ferals enough to re home them,but my children have managed it through a lot of hard work,and also litter trained them.

We have rehomed one,are keeping 2 [desite DH being allergic to them],and have 3 left to rehome.However,no one wants them because they have hernias.I spoke to the vet who said they are easy to correct when they are spayed/neutered,and shouldn't be an issue.They are so friendly and good mousers already,but I am so worried about what will happen to them.I cannot afford,nor can Dh tolerate 5 cats,plus I have got the mum to get spayed and I can't do that until the kittens are weaned.They are eating solid food,but still feed from her.If I leave it much longer,she'll do what she did before and disappear until she is in kitten again.

I've tried to do the right thing,but ended up with with a big problem on my hands,all because the mum cats owners were irresponsible wasters and I'm too soft hearted.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I wish you lots of luck finding homes for them. It's a very kind thing that you have done.

Have you tried a cat trap with sardines in tomato sauce as the bait to catch the mum so that she can be spayed? We have had a couple of very scared, dumped, injured pets here and we borrowed a trap from our local cat's home and caught them that way.

 

[Carlosmum]

As long as the kittens are over 6 weeks Mum can be spayed. Cats protection should do this for free or a small fee. They should also offer to neuter the kittens if you can promise them a home. I had 2 female kittens spayed by CPL and the Mum done too, then the ungrateful little kitties disappeared never to be seen again but at least they wouldn't be adding to the local population of ferals. Currently have 3 farm cats all neutered , a lot easier to look after than 7 which is where we got to when re-homing became so difficult.
If you cant take the kittens on and CPL will not neuter them it would really be kinder to PTS, they will not be aware of what is to happen & it may save them from a miserable life. I hope you can find homes

 

[mirage]

Thank you both.I have got a big cage and am feeding the mum in there and she is quite at home in it,so as soon as I can,I'll get a voucher from CPL and get her done.Thanks for letting me know that they'll neuter the kits too,I didn't know about that.We have had 8 kittens born on the farm recently in addition to our 6,all from neighbour's cats that they don't get spayed,so have had just about enough,especially as one is back again and pregnant again for the 2nd time in 3 months,so the kitten market locally is well and truly saturated.We have 7 neutered farm cats,several of whom were feral,so I can't add any more down there.

Thanks to a lovely friend,who has,along with me,spent the whole day trying to find homes for them,someone is coming to choose one tomorrow.I have had another person express an interest too,so fingers crossed.I've spent to much time and effort on them so far,I don't want to give up on them now

 

[samlf]

I would be very careful about who they go to - as awful as it sounds it would be better for the kittens to PTS than to go to someone who wont neuter and produce even more kittens.

Is there not a local rescue they can go to, rather than straight to homes, who will then rehome on a contract and ensure they are neutered.

 

[mirage]

None of the rescues will take them,they are overflowing,but I have done it,2 rehomed to a friend of a friend and 1 to a chap in the next village,all experienced cat owners.I am so relieved that I have found good homes for them.I didn't advertise them on preloved or anywhere like that because I'd heard horror stories of them being used as bait for fighting dogs.

I can sort out spaying the mum now,and the two we are keeping.Thanks for the input and advice,I think I'll sleep better tonight now.

 

[Leo Walker]

I'm soo glad to read this I've been worrying about the kittens since I read the post.

 

[hackneylass2]

Well done Mirage. That was a big job you had on your hands. You obviously have a kind heart.

Dismayed to hear what your local CPL told you.I know there's a cat crisis but our local brances don't have that policy. Might be worth just saying to everyone that if your local branch can't help, try further afield. That goes for CPL and RSPCA branches who are run by volunteers.

Hope your new kitties bring you lots of joy Mirage.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The people over the road from us did a moonlight flit about 4 years ago and abandoned their cat.Last year she appeared in our garage with 2 kittens and we tried to catch them and her to get them spayed/neutered but she moved on again before we could do anything.In June this year,DH went into the garage to get the lawnmower,and there she was with 6 kittens.I rang Cats Protection and they told me to have them put to sleep,but I couldn't.She also told me that we'd never succeed in taming ferals enough to re home them,but my children have managed it through a lot of hard work,and also litter trained them.

We have rehomed one,are keeping 2 [desite DH being allergic to them],and have 3 left to rehome.However,no one wants them because they have hernias.I spoke to the vet who said they are easy to correct when they are spayed/neutered,and shouldn't be an issue.They are so friendly and good mousers already,but I am so worried about what will happen to them.I cannot afford,nor can Dh tolerate 5 cats,plus I have got the mum to get spayed and I can't do that until the kittens are weaned.They are eating solid food,but still feed from her.If I leave it much longer,she'll do what she did before and disappear until she is in kitten again.

I've tried to do the right thing,but ended up with with a big problem on my hands,all because the mum cats owners were irresponsible wasters and I'm too soft hearted.

By the way CPL has dropped the L now so its just CP.

I find that very strange that CP said PTS as they are normally against putting a healthy cat down.

As regards of never taming a feral cat that's incorrect too, I have tamed two under a year totally feral cats and have pictures of them as lap cats in their new homes.

Have you tried another branch of CP? or other charity. If push came to shove I would have had them in my pens.



"update just read your post above"

Glad you found them homes

CP will always give neutering vouchers as its in the interest of keeping the population down.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

Good for you mirage for looking out for them. I'm really quite shocked and saddened by the response you had from CP, they sound very ignorant. Both myself and friends have taken on feral-born kittens which all turned out just as loving as ones born in a household.

 

[mirage]

I was a bit taken aback by the response from CP too,but they are run by volunteers so I suppose it depends on who answers the phone.I know you can tame feral kittens as we had one when we were little that my dad caught on the farm,and we have several on the farm at the minute who were once feral.,but are soft as anything now.Plus I'm so bloody minded that the best way to get me to do something is to tell me it can't be done.I will not be beaten,especially as it wasn't the kitten's fault,they didn't ask to be put in that situation.

Our two are just lovely,the girls have done such a good job with them.I am looking forward to having a warm cat on my knee during the cold winter nights.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I was a bit taken aback by the response from CP too,but they are run by volunteers so I suppose it depends on who answers the phone.I know you can tame feral kittens as we had one when we were little that my dad caught on the farm,and we have several on the farm at the minute who were once feral.,but are soft as anything now.Plus I'm so bloody minded that the best way to get me to do something is to tell me it can't be done.I will not be beaten,especially as it wasn't the kitten's fault,they didn't ask to be put in that situation.


Our two are just lovely,the girls have done such a good job with them.I am looking forward to having a warm cat on my knee during the cold winter nights.

There is normally only one person who answers Branch telephone and that is the area co-coordinator, who is responsible for keeping in touch with the rest of the volunteers, adoptions,, money,paper work etc

Who are the :
Fosters
Home Checkers
Lost and found
and fund raising
web site

etc

The CP branch is run by volunteers but they still have rules and regs and dos and don't s they have to abide by. (I should know) .

I know every branch is different, sounds like the area coordinator needs to be more helpful and polite.

Anyway well done you for sorting this out

 

[mirage]

Bit osf an update,I rang CP last week,as I need to get the mum spayed now the kittens are all weaned,and spoke to a very nice chap,who said it was his wife I would have spoken to previously.He asked what we'd done with the kittens and I told him that my girls had tamed and litter trained them all and we'd rehomed every single one.Plus we'd got the mother used to going into a cage.

He was so pleased and said he wished everyone was like me! I told him he'd probably be sorry he'd said that as we'd got another one nursing that would soon need spaying and he'd likely soon be fed up of me ringing up.

The mum cat has gotten brave enough to come into our conservatory now,so with time,she ,may come around.Poor thing has spent the past 4 years having things thrown at her and being chased away,no wonder she is scared.

 

[AngieandBen]

I went through the same thing about 7 years ago. Mum cat who CP lent me a trap to get her spayed was extremely feral. Its taken years for her to pluck up the courage to let me stroke her ( can't pick her up yet ) But they are fab mice/rat catchers.

I went into one of the ponies stables a while back thinking I hadn't picked up a poo, bent down to pick it up and it was a huge dead rat!! I screamed lol

 

[suestowford]

One of the semi-ferals next door left a huge dead rat on my doorstep once. I'd left the shed door open so the cats could get in as I knew there was a rat in there. They left me the body and I bought them a bag of cat treats. Winners all round (apart from the rat of course...)